PARKWAY TOWERS AGAIN AND AGAIN

[Peggy Gurney]

I have no idea. These guys from the WPNA are going to try and help them. I do believe they have given them this advice, but not sure.

[AllanY2525]

Have the other tenants filed a complaint with the court?  It might be able to block the eviction temporarily,
allowing them some time to try and get another place.... it's at least worth their time to call the court house
and ask what their options are - the phone call is free.

[Peggy Gurney]

Yeah I know Ryan found something else, and perhaps the lady who posted on the FB group. There are at least 4 other tenants. One that I know of can't afford to move.
There MUST be something that can be done about these owners!

[northside lurker]

Most of the tenants of the apartment building on N. Heights are still living there.

The impression I got from the discussion at the meeting was that just about everyone was looking, or had already found their next place.  But, that brings me to my next point:

Also, many of the tenants don't even know when the WPNA meeting is. It would be nice if a WPNA member made up some kind of flyer and taped it to their doors.

I wasn't passing judgment on them for not attending the meeting.  I was just saying that we talked about this at the meeting, and because no one from the apartment was there, everything that I shared here was second-hand.

Based on comment participation, at least 2 residents are part of the FB group, so they know about the meetings, and are welcome to attend, if they can.

Judging from a post on Facebook in the WPNA group, Robert Pilolli and Jonathan Blackshire are going to try and help the tenants with the issue.

I hope you're right, and something is happening behind the scenes.  But, it looked to me like the topic was dropped after Ryan said he already found a new place on Lora.

[Youngstownshrimp]

Allan, you are spot on!

[Peggy Gurney]

Allan, none of the people who were living in the N. Heights apartment attended our last meeting, so I've only heard about what's going on second-hand.  But, it sounded like many in the building had already put their rent in escrow.  The owners evicted everyone, instead of making the necessary repairs, similar to the last tenants at Parkway Towers.  I believe everyone has found a new place, most of the tenants had to leave the neighborhood to find their new place, and unfortunately, the building will be empty.  It was assumed that the owners will just sit on their empty building, speculating that property values will go up.

Most of the tenants of the apartment building on N. Heights are still living there.
Also, many of the tenants don't even know when the WPNA meeting is. It would be nice if a WPNA member made up some kind of flyer and taped it to their doors.
Judging from a post on Facebook in the WPNA group, Robert Pilolli and Jonathan Blackshire are going to try and help the tenants with the issue.

[Towntalk]

The problem is that WKBN keeps looking at the Parkway Towers and does not see it the way you do my friend. They see it as an eyesore, an empty shell of a building devoid of life rotting away.

[AllanY2525]

"Fair Market Value" for the place will have plummeted severely due to its current condition.
The city could get a couple of independent property appraisers to evaluate the place and give
an un-biased estimation of its current, "as-is" value.  I'll bet they could buy the place for less than
the price an average sized single family home in my neighborhood (around $300K).  The county
auditor's website lists it's market value at $368,000 - there are single family homes in my
neighborhood (nothing extravagant) on less than 1/4 acre lots that routinely sell for close to
this amount.

The city does not want to demolish Parkway Tower and has stated this publicly.  It is a
rare example of early high-rise apartments in the city and a historic landmark and a
part of the fabric of the Wick Park neighborhood.

On top of that, it is still completely sound from a structural standpoint.  Its concrete, brick
and steel girder construction means that it could easily be gutted and rebuilt inside, as
the partition walls are basically non load-bearing partitions.

PLEASE NOTE: I did not say "cheaply rebuilt", but rather "easily rebuilt".  The architect and
engineer who designed the place and built it made it stronger than a SHERMAN TANK
and it could even compare with the strength of similar buildings today.


The following may sound like a pipe dream, but it IS do-able... and COULD be
viable:

I don't understand why the owners don't want to fix the place up and get all those
apartments rented out.  There are 10 two bedroom units in the building (4th floor up
in the tower) that could rent for $525-550 (or more?) a month in the local market,
plus another 30 apartments consisting of one and two bedroom units.

At $550 per month, the 10 apartments in the tower ALONE would gross $66,000 per
year in rent income - this is WITHOUT the other THIRTY apartments in the building.
This is as much income as the cell phone tower on the roof.

It's hard to remember the number of one bedroom apartments after so many
years (I moved out of the building in 1982) but I think there are 18 (?)  At $475
a month, this would generate another $100,600 or so per year.

That leaves us with the 12 efficiency apartments.  At $400 a month, these would
generate another $57,600 a year.

With $60,000 a year coming in from the cell towers on the roof, the combined
income would be around $225,000 per year.  This is a conservative given that the
potential basement apartments are not included in this estimate. 

This also assumes that after a total gut, the new owner(s) would choose to
NOT re-do the floor plan to fit more units into the place.  A good architect could
certainly come up with a floor plan to make that possible.  It is a huge building,
after all.

There is also the potential for additional apartments adjacent to the main building,
given the several adjacent empty lots to the left side, the right side, and behind the
building to the right.

The fact that the building has a steel skeleton means that the front section COULD
be raised to eight floors, like the rear section.  The existing skeleton would bear
the additional weight without a problem - as the building was originally designed
to be eight stories front and back, then altered due to objections from the
neighbors around it.  Someone once told me there are already bulkheads atop
the lower section girders, for such a possibility.  I don't know if this is actually
true though.

The location is perfect, with a beautiful view of the park, the auditorium and the
University two blocks away.  The Wick Park neighborhood has come back to life
and it is becoming a desirable neighborhood to live in again.  With a shortage of
student housing at YSU and the incomes of some of the staff, there IS a market
for more apartments in the neighborhood.  Especially these.

Now, there were two very small apartments in the basement that used to be
the boiler attendant's/maintenance person's apartments.  The vast majority
of the basement was used as storage areas for the tenants, nothing else.
With over 10 feet of ceiling height, more apartments could be built there
and additional exits to ground level added on both sides of the building.

If the city were to use the new "spot blight" program and also try to find
some way to legally use Eminent Domain to take ownership [or some other legal
maneuvering]  it cold get someone like Dominic Marchionda, et. al. to buy the site
and bring it back to life.

With Historic Tax Credits and other incentives from the city, the overall cost of
renovation could be reduced and the venture could operate at a profit.  The
rooms in the new dorms next to the Madison Ave fire station are very expensive
given there size - students could rent an efficiency apartment off-campus
(but right next to it) for less money.

[northside lurker]

Here is the ultamate solution to both locations. Where there is a will there is a way.

http://wkbn.com/2015/10/22/youngstown-using-spot-blight-program-to-target-neglected-properties/

Who said there is no way that the city can deal with out of state slumlords! Seize both the Parkway Tower and give the cell phone operators notice that the building will be demolished and as for the other building simply demolish it.

I flattly REFUSE to believe that the city can do nothing, and my head is made up and closed to all! NOTHING anyone says will make me change my mind!

That's certainly a possibility.  But it would be expensive.  They city would probably need at least a half-million dollars to take the 2 buildings.  And, with Parkway Towers, the owners could fight over the lost revenue from losing the cell towers.

[Towntalk]

Here is the ultamate solution to both locations. Where there is a will there is a way.

http://wkbn.com/2015/10/22/youngstown-using-spot-blight-program-to-target-neglected-properties/

Who said there is no way that the city can deal with out of state slumlords! Seize both the Parkway Tower and give the cell phone operators notice that the building will be demolished and as for the other building simply demolish it.

I flattly REFUSE to believe that the city can do nothing, and my head is made up and closed to all! NOTHING anyone says will make me change my mind!

[northside lurker]

I'm just trying to play devil's advocate, I guess.  But, look at this from a NYC point of view.  They probably paid what they consider to be pocket change for the building.  If they have done no local research, they might even think the property is worth more without the building, and are just waiting for the city to demolish it for them, after they let it become blighted.  Or, (and this seems more likely, now that I think about it) after the building is completely empty, they'll make the minimum necessary repairs, and rent to section 8 tenants.  As Parkway Towers illustrates, they aren't interested in maximizing their profits, but prefer steady income, instead.

[AllanY2525]

If the rent is paid to the court, that is supposed to protect them from eviction,
but then again - I wouldn't wanna live in a building with no heat, either especially
now that winter is right around the corner.  I have been following the comments
on Facebook group as well. 

The owners can speculate about property values (in general) going up, but THEIRS
won't as long as the building has no heat and if they try to sell it that way, they won't
get anywhere near what the place would be worth in good condition - they'll probably
get LESS than what they paid for it.

If they don't shut the water off, drain the boiler(s) and blow out all the water pipes
with air the plumbing will a freeze and burst soon when it freezes inside
this winter.

[northside lurker]

Allan, none of the people who were living in the N. Heights apartment attended our last meeting, so I've only heard about what's going on second-hand.  But, it sounded like many in the building had already put their rent in escrow.  The owners evicted everyone, instead of making the necessary repairs, similar to the last tenants at Parkway Towers.  I believe everyone has found a new place, most of the tenants had to leave the neighborhood to find their new place, and unfortunately, the building will be empty.  It was assumed that the owners will just sit on their empty building, speculating that property values will go up.

[AllanY2525]

Re: The building on North Heights, a local realtor posted some advice on Facebook a
little while ago that I think was regarding this same building:

The tenants can pay their rent to the city court in escrow, and file a complaint against the landlord
for not fixing the heating system.  This will protect them against eviction by the landlord, while
depriving the landlord of their rent money at the same time.  This will give them all time to look for
another place without any fear of eviction - and once they're ready to move, the city can revoke
the rental licenses for the place,  certify the property as unfit for habitation with no heat and
prevent Simcha Vashulem from getting any MORE tenants.

The tenants could most likely file civil suit(s) to get their escrowed rent money back when they
move out, if the heating system is still inoperative.  This would cover the cost of moving, having
to use electric heaters, etc.

I'll bet that will get the undivided attention of the LLC that owns the building.

[northside lurker]

I understand that there is no heat in the North Heights building because of a broken boiler. Why haven't the tenants filed a complaint with the city? What nationality is Simcha Vashulem?

I don't know if they did, or not.  But, as we're seeing with Parkway Tower, even if the tenants did file complaints with the city, the city doesn't have the power to do much, anyway.