Rotten Ambassador Bridge homes worth more to city standing

Looking across the street from her home in Windsor's west end, Carla Wiedemann cringes at the rotting boarded-up homes, desperately wanting them to be replaced and her neighbourhood restored.

She bought her home on Edison Street, for $80,000 back in 2004. But around the same time, owners of the Ambassador Bridge started buying up properties to make way for the twinning of the busiest border crossing between Canada and the U.S.

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It didn't take long for a handful of homes across the street from Wiedemann to fall into disrepair, left to decay while bridge owners battle it out in court for permission to expand their crossing.

Wiedemann's home is now worth $65,000. She and her neighbours know their property values would skyrocket, if the boarded up houses were replaced with new ones, but that won't happen any time soon.

"These houses, if they have to be torn down, build new ones right in their place," she told CBC News.

Leaving the structures as they are translates into more tax revenue for the city than empty lots. By not allowing the bridge company to tear down the houses, the city is forcing the owner — Manuel (Matty) Moroun — to pay more tax.

Bridge company taxes pay legal bills

Two years of property taxes collected from the Canadian Transit Company, which owns the bridge, is nearly enough to foot the city's entire legal bill accrued in court fighting demolition of the buildings.

According to figures from the city property tax records, CTC pays more than $885,000 a year in city taxes. Total legal fees for the city's fight against CTC, owned by U.S. billionaire Matty Moroun, amounts to about $2 million.

Other groups benefit from the bridge owners as well. CTC pays more than $42,000 in education levies and more than $3,000 a year for the new mega-hospital.

The president of the Bridge company, Dan Stamper, believes the city has a conflict of interest by denying the demolitions.

"They can tear down and close roads and do what they have to at their (Windsor-Detroit) tunnel, while continuing to fight with us to keep things the way [they are] and keep the community upset with us."

Mayor Drew Dilkens had no comment about the issue, saying he would not speak during ongoing litigation, but real estate lawyer Michael Lamb says there is no conflict.

Lamb, who is also a professor at Western University in London, Ont., says the city is simply enforcing the province's municipal Planning Act.

"The municipality can say: No, we want you to fix it up," he told CBC News. "And the courts have stood by the municipalities decision for that."

Residents left to suffer

Windsor continues to battle Moroun in court, refusing to let him tear the houses down, saying his plans to twin the Ambassador Bridge and build a new yard for transport trucks don't conform with the community improvement area.

While the city stands to benefit from having the buildings remain standing, people like Wiedemann continue to see property values decline.

She continues to improve her home, including a complete renovation of her living room. Looking around at the recently hung drywall, she can already envision slapping on a coat of paint.

'I love my house'

Her neighbours can't understand why she's putting so much into the home, considering the not-so-ideal location. For Wiedemann, the work isn't about improving for resale value. She's adamant she doesn't want a second span in the area. 

"I'm not trying to sell. I love my house," she said. "I love this area. I like my neighbours."

Coun. Hilary Payne, who owns a home on Indian Road, says the new span of the bridge would not only bring in more tax revenue for the city, but it would also increase the values of the remaining homes.

"I think anything would be better than those derelict houses," he said. "You can see the roofs all over the place and the condition they're in. You can just imagine what they're like inside."