A taxpayer living next to a blighted property is wondering what is taking so long to tear down a property next to her house.
Michelle Schoenfelder, who lives at 316 S. Second St., Pottsville, sees the condemned property every day at 318 S. Second St. outside her front door. She said living next to the house and learning it is going to take time to demolish makes her feel “violated.”
She said they worked their whole lives and pay taxes. She said the house is a fire and health hazard. City officials said there is only so much money to address the blight issues in the community.
“We want to maintain our home in the right way,” Schoenfelder said. “It’s not fair. We lived here for 30 years.”
City Administrator Tom A. Palamar said the issue is not as easy as Schoenfelder may think.
“She may not be happy but it is what it is,” Palamar said earlier this month.
The property is on the blight list, Palamar said previously. The Schuylkill County Parcel Locator lists the owner of the property as New Legacy Investments LLC, 45 E. City Line Ave., Bala Cynwyd. Notices have been sent to the property owner.
The city sends a list of properties it wants to demolish to the state Department of Community and Economic Development. It is using Community Development Block Grant funds for demolition projects. Information was sent back saying selected properties were approved, but some were not.
Palamar said safety is a priority.
“As far as I know, that property (318 S. Second St.) is not falling down,” he said.
Other properties on the list were in very bad condition.
The 318 property was on a list of 10 potential properties to be bid on for demolition earlier last year. However, it and 124 S. Third St. were not the properties that were bid on. Those two properties were removed because additional steps have to be taken before they can be demolished, Palamar said.
“We still need approval because it is in the state’s historical district and it is CDBG money,” Palamar said earlier this month.
He understands Schoenfelder’s frustration, but there is a process that must be followed.
“It’s nothing we can rush into,” Palamar said.
He said the demolitions take a lot of work to complete.
“We can’t just jump out of order because someone is not happy,” Palamar said.
He said the city did not forget the property.
“People have to be patient with our process,” he said.
He said it will be until at least spring until any new homes not approved will be demolished.
Howard Pollman, media spokesman for the state Historical and Museum Commission, said the property at 318 S. Second St. is in a nationally registered historic district. He said paperwork was submitted for both properties but the PHMC is waiting on the additional information sent Aug. 31 to the city.
Palamar said the projects didn’t make the first round and will be included in another round; however, he said, “We just have to make sure it is the worst,” he said.
Michael Cardamone, chairman of the Pottsville Historical Architectural Review Board, said Thursday demolishing the property will have to come before HARB to be voted on. The next board meeting is 6 p.m. March 2.
He does not know if the issue is on the agenda as he has not seen one yet. He said an assessment is needed that the property is in disrepair. That information can come from Justin Trefsger, Pottsville’s code enforcement officer. He said the board prefers that a property be restored to close its historical integrity but if that is not possible then not many options are left.
“Public safety has to come first,” he said.
After HARB approval, the city council must then vote on the proposed demolition.