The city, a tenant-advocacy group, and others are working together with the landlord of a 136-unit Pelham Parkway residential building to fix longstanding violations. Is reported to be moving slow, but steady.
The buildings at 750-60 Pelham Parkway South suffered through years of neglect before housing company SG2 purchased them in 2007. SG2 is the owner of thousands of rental units throughout the borough.
After a fire in six of the apartments last fall brought to light more than 900 Department of Housing Preservation and Development violations, Neighborhood Initiatives Development Corporation and Councilman Jimmy Vacca began working with the landlord to see that repairs were made. A recent visit by HPD resulted in more violations, but overall the number is now hovering around 250 violations.
“The landlord, SG2, is working with NIDC, HPD, and Councilman Vacca to make repairs and reduce the violations. There are still more than 80 C-class HPD violations, the most serious kind,” said Cathy Soto of NIDC. “We recently had a walk-through with HPD and Councilman Vacca. We saw some more violations that need to be repaired.”
A primary issue affecting the building was a vacant lot next door on Wallace Avenue. This lot was attracting rodents that made their way into the building. SG2 has been addressing this matter along with others.
Among the C-class HPD violations are reports of peeling paint, leaks in ceilings in several apartments, and issues with irregular heat and broken radiators. Despite serious violations yet to be cleared, a spokesman for SG2 Management said that major progress is being made.
“We take great pride in having already successfully cleared more than 700 inherited violations,” stated SG2 Management spokesman Bud Perrone. “In addition, we have already gone in and fixed the conditions that led to the majority of the violations that remain open.”
Perrone said that that SG2 Management is inviting HPD inspectors to the building to verify the repairs.
“SG2 Management works collaboratively and regularly with elected officials including Councilman James Vacca, HPD, and the Neighborhood Initiatives Development Corporation to ensure that we are all working together to enact improvements as quickly as possible,” Perrone stated.
