Hearing again postponed for owners of collapsed Washington building
Mark Russo, owner of the building that collapsed in July on North Main Street in Washington, is shown recently as he arrived for a previous hearing.
A demolition crew removes bricks Thursday from Mark Russo’s building at 15 N. Main St. in Washington.
A hearing on the code enforcement citations filed against the owners of a downtown Washington building that collapsed in July has been postponed for a fourth time.
Elizabeth Tarasi, attorney for 15 N. Main St. owners Mark and Melissa Russo, said she requested a continuance because she is working on an agreement with the Russos’ insurance company.
“I’m really trying to get this thing resolved. It’s in the best interest of the city and anyone involved, and that’s what my client is interested in,” Tarasi said.
A hearing was to be held Thursday before District Judge Robert Redlinger on citations related to conditions at the apartment building at 15 N. Main St., which partially collapsed July 12, trapping a tenant for more than nine hours.
A staff member in Redlinger’s office said Washington solicitor Steve Toprani agreed to the postponement, but he could not be reached for comment.
This is the third time the hearing has been postponed since the building collapsed, and the fourth time since the citation was issued in March for a cracked wall that was not structurally sound.
Washington code enforcement officer Ron McIntyre cited the owners of the three-story “Montgomery Building,” alleging they “failed to replace failing wall cracked NOT structurally sound.”
Tarasi Thursday denied the wall had anything to do with the collapse. She said the cracked wall is still standing, and “if there were issues in the building, (Mark Russo) would go in and try to get them repaired.”
“We did have cause and origin investigators down there,” she said. “The weight of the water on the roof was the causing factor in the roof collapsing. The neighboring building had downspouts … that don’t go down to the storm sewer. It goes right onto my client’s roof. It’s so obvious, anyone could have seen that.”
The owner of the neighboring building at 3 N. Main St., Felix Magnotta, did not return a call for comment.
The demolition of 15 N. Main continues at a slow pace as pieces are removed carefully so neighboring structures are not damaged. Councilman Joe Manning said an engineer is being brought in to ensure 3 N. Main is not affected by the demolition.
The first phase, in which the building is taken down to a safe level, could be completed next week, which would allow the reopening of North Main Street from Beau Street to Chestnut Street, Manning said.
Mayor Scott Putnam has said the project could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and the city has been working with the Russos’ insurance company to cover those costs.
The Russos face numerous other citations filed since the collapse for alleged violations at several other Washington properties.
“(Mark Russo) inherited these (properties) from his father four years ago. He did provide reasonable housing at a reasonable price to these people. They were not bad apartments,” Tarasi said. “We’re just trying to get things resolved and my client feels very badly about this.”