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Troubled Indianapolis apartment complex is coming down

City begins demolition of Oaktree Apartments this week
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INDIANAPOLIS—An abandoned east side Indianapolis apartment complex will be demolished, starting Wednesday,

In a Tuesday announcement, the city said work to teardown the Oaktree Apartments, near East 42nd Street and North Post Road, will take at least six months.

The complex has a long and troubled history. It was condemned and closed by court order in 2014. In a press release from the office of Mayor Joe Hogsett, the apartments were described as "a threat to the health, safety and welfare of people living and working on the east side."

There have been fires and shootings there, and a 2008 tornado destroyed or damaged much of the complex. In 2010, Oaktree Apartments lost its Section 8 federal housing status because of the poor conditions there.

Since its closure, several buildings at Oaktree have been destroyed by fire.

According to the city, the current owners of the property were told last year to demolish or sell it. When they didn't, a judge gave the city the go ahead to tear Oaktree down.

What comes after the demolition isn't clear.