Three-story building for sale with excellent location in North Philadelphia. The only detail is that one of its walls is partially collapsed.

Residents of the 5th and Diamond Streets intersection complain about how dangerous this  building's wall would be if it collapses.

People say the building's owner was kind enough to place some sticks against the wall to keep it from falling, and someone –community members don’t know who— cordoned off the area with yellow tape so that no one would walk by near the wall, which at a glance seems dangerous.

“That house is going to collapse one of these days.  Hopefully it won’t fall on top of mine,” said Hilda González, who lives right next door.  “I don’t walk by it, I rather take the street. Look at it.  It will soon come down.”

González is not the only one concerned. Her neighbors also complained and fear an accident will happen.

“If you walk under the sticks, those he (the owner) placed there, the house can fall down on top of you, but he doesn't listen,” complained Lidia Rodríguez, block captain where the house is located in the City’s Seventh Councilmanic District.

The owner has been asked to demolish the house but he refuses to do it, arguing that “it has cost him a lot of money,” she said.

“He has told us to walk on the street, but that puts us in danger,” she said. “But he says that’s our problem.”

Rodríguez is concerned the wall “could fall down and hurt a kid, because kids walk by it on their way to school.”

Pedro Vázquez is also concerned about the children.

“The City should bring it down.  Many kids walk by the wall on their way to school and if the building collapses, it will hurt the kids,” he said.  “And the City will be sued because the City is responsible of doing something.”

William McKinley Public School, on Diamond street, is located two blocks away from the building.

According to the School District of Philadelphia (SDP), the school principal was not aware about the wall, but that she personally would inspect it.

“We’re going to contact the School Renovation Department so that they contact the Licenses and Inspections Department to take care of this situation,” school district's spokesman Fernando Gallard said.

Public documents from the Philadelphia Records Department show the property belongs to Carmelo Rivera since 2006.

A “For sale” sign sitting on one the building's windows displays a phone number AL DÍA used to contact the owner.

A man, who identified himself as “Junior, the owner of the building,” answered.

“The wall on that side is faulty,” he said.  “I have the permits for it.  I got them last year but haven't had the time because I’ve been a bit busy and haven't been able to do anything.”

He assured he is he is concerned about the people's complains, but he said he has insurance in case an accident happens. 

Aren’t you concerned that something could happen?

Well, I am concerned.  I don´t want anything to happen to anyone.  I’m going to put a fence around it this or next week.

After several questions, the building's owner started to get angry and said that if a story ran in the newspaper, he would file a lawsuit.

The Department of Licences and Inspections (L&I) inspected the building and gave the owner with a citation on May 8 of this year, said Maura Kennedy, spokesperson for Mayor Michael Nutter.

“He also obtained a permit to repair the wall,” she said. “He has apparently not repaired it.  We received another complaint on Monday (October 20).”

Pending revision of the new inspection carried out on Thursday (October 23), Kennedy said that if he has not complied with the order, the owner would receive a warning.

María Quiñones Sánches, councilwoman for Philadelphia’s Seventh District, said that despite the seriousness of the situation, there are a lot of formalities to be followed.

“The problem is that it is a private property,” she said. “Accordinf to protocol we need to set up a meeting with the owner.  We can’t tear the place down because the owners are there.”

She added that, in situations such as this one, the courts force the owners to demolish the properties.

Official Report: “Imminent Danger”

The inspection performed in the building by the L&I on May 8  says that the building was already collapsed and is in “imminent danger of further collapse” and gave the owner –Carmelo Rivera—a term of five days to obtain the permits to immediately perform the repairs.  Otherwise, the report says, the City will have to tear down the house and bill the owner with the expenses.  Up until press time, the new inspection report expected to be delivered on Thursday, October 23, was not available.