Action on Renovo’s 14th Street Row Houses Continued

RENOVO – Action on the future of Renovo’s 14th Street row houses has been put off until the new year.

Borough government in September had declared the units unsafe and a hearing on an appeal from affected residents was set for Wednesday night. At the outset of the meeting, borough solicitor Stuart Hall announced the hearing has been continued until Jan. 15. He said a report from a structural engineer has not been completed and the report, when done, will be provided to the residents’ legal counsel, Rocco Rosamilia.

Hall announced a series of stipulations between the borough and the 14th Street residents. They include the residents’ acknowledgement that the borough code officer has deemed the building as unsafe and if the residents continue to occupy the units, they assume the risk of any damages or injuries “which occur as a result of their continued occupation of the units.”

A point of discussion Wednesday night was the unoccupied unit at 155 14th Street. Borough Property Maintenance Officer Victor Marquardt said the floor joists are falling out in the unit’s upper floors and you can be on the first floor and see the basement and look through the second and third floors to the hole in the roof.

The matter is complicated by absentee ownership of the unit at 155. He is reported as Andrew Hinkle, from Bowie, MD.

Additionally that unit is in a repository state with Clinton County.

Another of the stipulations is that nearby row house residents party to the appeal “upon obtaining ownership of Unit 155 and/or permission of the owner of Unit 155, may make the repairs necessary to make the current unsafe condition safe and shall obtain any necessary building permits.”

Other 14th Street row house occupants were present for the meeting but did not comment in a session that last 20 minutes.

All the members of Renovo’s recently created Board of Appeals Hearing Board were present for the Wednesday session. They are all with a construction or engineering background: Larry Glenn, Charles Grieb and Jared Hurlbert and alternates Greg Lucabaugh and Eric Pletcher. Attorney Paul Welch was approved as the board solicitor.