Warren Building Department files charges against owner of former Packard buildings

Staff report

WARREN

The city’s building department official filed two misdemeanor criminal charges against Sergio DiPaolo of Girard for his failure to complete demolition of his former Packard Electric buildings on Dana Street Northeast.

Chris Tanneyhill, Warren building official, filed the charges this week in Warren Municipal Court.

One charge says DiPaolo failed to complete the demolition of Plants 3, 4 and 5 at the corner of Dana Street and Paige Avenue by the date specified, Sept. 15, 2012.

The other charge accuses him of occupying one or more of the buildings as recently as July 30 without first applying for an occupancy permit.

DiPaolo is scheduled to appear for arraignment on the charges at 9 a.m. Sept. 11.

One of the largest buildings at the site now has walls around the edge, but the interior has been removed. Other buildings have been vandalized numerous times, and many of the windows are broken.

Tanneyhill cited DiPaolo, 49, of Isabelle Court, once before.

DiPaolo purchased the buildings in January 2011. As soon as the city realized the sale had taken place, it discovered that DiPaolo already had started doing demolition without the proper permits.

Several months later, DiPaolo and three of his employees pleaded guilty to reduced charges for violating a stop-work order.