Mexico City takes over collapse site for earthquake memorial

MEXICO CITY – Mexico City took ownership on Tuesday of a lot where a seven-story office building collapsed in September's deadly earthquake, clearing the way for a planned park memorializing victims of the disaster.

Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera signed a decree expropriating the 8,400-square-foot (780-square-meter) parcel at 286 Alvaro Obregon Ave., on the border between the Roma Norte and Condesa neighborhoods.

The city government said in a statement that it will pay compensation and that the property owner agreed to the move and is not challenging the expropriation.

Forty-nine people died in the building when it collapsed Sept. 19. Rescuers worked around the clock at the scene for two weeks searching for survivors.

In all, the magnitude 7.1 quake killed 228 people in Mexico City and 141 in nearby states.