9 buildings slated to be demolished

By Jordan Cohen

The board was warned of an explosion risk at one of the houses.

NILES — Five unoccupied homes and four garages will meet their fates via the wrecking ball after votes by the Niles Housing Board of Appeals to destroy the structures.

A resident who lives next to one of the condemned homes warned that the structure is at risk for a natural-gas explosion.

Rell Petusky said at Monday’s board meeting that a gas line at the long-vacant house at 1767 Belle Terre appeared to have been rigged for an explosion, and he offered photos to prove his point.

“We could have something like what happened in Girard,” Petusky said, referring to last month’s natural-gas explosion that leveled one home and extensively damaged others. “Anyone with a crescent wrench could open up these lines.”

Fire Chief Gary Brown, who sits on the board, agreed after looking at Petusky’s photos.

“This isn’t the way the gas company shuts down these lines,” Brown said. The chief said he planned to notify the utility of the hazard immediately.

Trumbull County auditor records list the owner as James M. Thomas of Niles.

Steve Yovich, housing code enforcement officer, said he had condemned all the properties earlier this year and that building owners did little or nothing to get bring them back to livable conditions.

That included a house at 29 Wilson Ave., whose owner had been given a six-month extension at the board’s last meeting. James Ramm of Youngstown, speaking on behalf of the owner, said he had done some lawn work and landscaping, but Yovich said it wasn’t enough.

“There’s been a failure to bring it up to code,” Yovich said, “and a failure to clean up.” The board rejected Ramm’s appeal.

The decisions require owners to demolish the buildings within 30 days. If they do not comply, the city will have the properties demolished through the bidding process and liens will be attached through the county auditor.

Yovich said the costs generally vary from $1,800 to $3,800 per demolition.

The list of other structures to be brought down and their owners of record as listed by the county auditor:

UGarage, 816 Belmont, George Kuriatnyk, Sr., Niles.

UGarage, 1534 Hiram, Michelle and Robert Roth, Niles.

UGarage, 116 Water St., Barbara A. Mechling, Niles.

UHouse and garage, 39 Pleasant, Denise Morgan, North Canton.

UHouse, 127 Maple, Sheldon Owens Jr., Warren.

UHouse, 902 Warren Ave., Harvgord Enterprises, LLC, Canfield.

The board granted six-month extensions to two owners to fix up their properties at 436 Depot and 1920 Valley Blvd.

The housing board meets twice a year. Its next meeting is scheduled in April.