Still there is no excuse for it to look that bad. Hire someone to maintain it. Get a landscaper, anything...
Ridley park is not a dump. Keep up your property, bring the papers in that are sitting in front of house for weeks, and take down old campaign signs

That house is another Pakilidis house. Borough Council keeps bringing up "the Harper property" as if to embarrass a Democrat while ignoring everything that Greek has done to ruin 1/4 of Ridley Park. Look around the town and if you see a decrepit, falling down stone house chances are he's the owner. He has thumbed his nose at this town for decades. Probably be nothing done until he dies and someone else gets the chore of cleaning up all his properties.

An additional comment: Pakilidis doesn't live in that house, he rents it out.

There are TWO houses on that corner that are in disrepair. One does have elderly people living there. The other HUGE home is the one that is a total disgrace.

I ride by this property almost every day. And yes an elderly person lives there, he's also a VET probably living on a fixed income. What does it matter if his trees cover the entire front of the house. It's his house. I know for a fact he recently had landscapers there trimming back the hedges. The grass is kept cut in the summer and his sidewalks are cleared of snow in the winter. If the neighbors want it to look "better" maybe we can all get together and lend a hand to a VET that wrote a blank check for all of us while serving our Country. In the meantime I will continue to enjoy the view of all the older homes that make Ridley Park beautiful.

Does anyone read the comments that have already been added to postings before adding their own? Both houses on the west side of that intersection are owned by you-know-who. Not the vet; he's renting. The owner had a lot of his decrepit houses landscaped, someone must have finally convinced him to get some work done. Maybe the other decrepit house is next on the list. Presumably the vet doesn't mind the mess or he would have moved since he is only renting.

Council has gone after Pakalidis and his properties. He is constantly getting fined and taken to court for his unkept properties.

Ahhhh, 100 North Swarthmore, one of the many eyesore properties owned and under-maintained by Mr Pakilidis. He's also the owner and under-maintainer of the Pomeroy House at 312 Swarthmore Avenue, AKA "The Hippie House." It is a terrible situation but when you pay your taxes and abide by the lowest standard about the requirements there's little RP can do. There's no habitat statutes or abandoned home statutes in RP with any teeth to them plus the legal system offers appeals at every complaint. More involvement by RP's residents and letters sent to RP's Borough Council may stir the embers again. These are real fire traps waiting to happen.

312 Swarthmore? is that the HUGE mansion looking place that looks vacant? If so, he should fix that place up and rent it out. Same with the monstrous house at the corner of Sellers & Swarthnmore. That would be a FABULOUS place to live.

Does anyone live in either of those 2 houses? & who the heck is Pakalides?

Why don't all of you tend your own gardens before deriding those of your neighbors. I enjoy seeing some foliage on the streets of Ridley Park, especially when the brick and mortar behind them is probably crumbling from neglect anyway. You think if they cut those bushes down the house would be any prettier to look at? Unless you're prepared to offer the homeowner a check to remodel their house, I'd refrain from calling the homes of your neighbors "a disgrace".

Yes, 312 Swarthmore is the vacant house next to the Rp Presbyterian Church. Keith Lockhart's "History of Ridley Township says Pomeroy was influential in Ridley Park and that after his frame house burned down he organized the Ridley Park Fire Company in September, 1890 in Charles Deakyne’s store at 15 E. Hinckley Ave. (now Langguth’s Gift Shop). In March, 1981, a hose carriage was given to the Hope Hose Co. #1 of Ridley Park and Pomeroy kept the equipment in the carriage house on his property at 312 Swarthmore Avenue.
Mr. Richard S. Pomeroy also formed the Pomeroy Construction Company and built homes in Ridley Park. He was Secretary of the School Board in 1888, a Borough Council member from 1894 to 1896 and Mayor from 1897 to 1900. He was active in the Presbyterian Church and was President of the Board of Trustees for 25 years (Keith Lockhart's "The History of Ridley Park").
As for Mr Pakalides, well he's a guy who doesn't care to take care of his Ridley Park properties the way 99.99% of the folks in RP would like him to.

geez---have you seen the place we're talking about??? Compared to the rest of Ridley Park BOROUGH the owners houses really are run down and don't fit in with the rest of the area. There are many places that use the post office of Ridley Park, but they are not part of the BOROUGH. These properties are smack dab in the middle of the borough

And yes, if the weeds (they are not "bushes") were cut down, the structure would look 100% better. No one is talking about remodeling the house. Just taking care of the grounds of the house.

Seems the home owner doens't need any money. He just doesn't want to spend what he has to keep in line with the borough. The asking price for one of his other properties is over 1 million.

Just so you know, the folks complaining DO maintain their properties....

Yes, Gail- I have seen the property in question. I grew up on Nevin Street, just around the block. And those are actually large rhododendrons facing Swarthmore ave- overgrown with vines for sure, but still producing bunches of beautiful purple flowers in spring. The tree 'growing into the house' is one of the neighborhoods largest blue spruce. I think you are misguided if you believe the neglect that is shown to the rest of the property is not reflected in the structure itself- I`m sure the paint is chipped, walls are crumbly and woodwork decayed. Is a decrepit house really what you're so excited to stare at? I would agree that the grounds really do need some upkeep... trimming, weeding ect, but to demand the homeowner remove all vegetation (maybe some privacy from a busy intersection is the motive for a wall of green?) and starting a forum calling their home 'a disgrace' is to me indicative of people with nothing better to do but sit around and complain. I`m sick of people telling their neighbors to 'toe the line' or be publicly belittled by their community. You could be busier with your own garden, and the borough could certainly do more productive things with its time than harass homeowners about the cosmetic aspects of their property.

Gabe,
One point I have here is: the overgrown rhododendrons are growing out over at least half if not more of the sidewalk on Swarthmore which is a hazard to anyone trying to walk and is against code.

No! I don't think they should remove the flowering bushes--they are beautiful. I just wish they would fix up the huge home that looks empty. I would love to live there.

anonymous, the bushes are a hazard. They'd be just as gorgeous if they were trimmed. Try walking down that street and be forced to step out into traffic b/c the bushes are growing out over the sidewalk.

The issue is not whether the house it up to everyone's standards of attractiveness and curb appeal, it's about properties that extend themselves into a special category other community's call "community's nuisance properties." In Ridley Park the issue of community nuisance properties is complicated and frustrating for all sides. On the one hand the Borough is responsible for enforcing the rules the residents want to live by, and on the other hand RP's citizens are entitled to the Constitutional rights of due process - and that allows for appeal, after appeal, after appeal, until there's no more appealing possible; it's the American way and we're both blessed and cursed for having it that way.

Ridley Park Borough uses the International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) and the Borough's Zoning Code to try and control out of bounds property owners; and naturally both have different appeals processes.

The IPMC allows the property owner to appeal a property maintenance code violation before a full assembly of the Property Maintenance committee. Then to appeal that decision again to a committee made up of Borough Council members, then to again-again appeal that decision to the complete assembly of Borough Council members, and then to again-again-again appeal that decision to the judicial system in Media. That's a long process to go through against a resident who doesn't want to cut their tall grass, but the fact remains; if I don't cut the grass on my property this entire summer, the greatest likelihood is I can delay all of the Borough's efforts in court until the first snow.

The appeal process of the Borough's Zoning code is more direct. Zoning code violations are heard at the District Justice level and all appeals are moved to Media. In Media, the appeal process may override the Borough's original decision, ask the property owner to show compliance, or return the matter to Ridley Park for resolution.

Code and Zoning enforcement are costly items that the tiny Borough of Ridley Park has to afford in order to keep unsafe building practices and property owners from doing what they want.

Back in April 2011 I spoke before Borough Council about this and I published a blog about it on RP's social network. It caused a small stir, and then nothing's happened since. I'd offer that more RP residents should write and call their Borough Council representatives and keep the ball rolling.

This has been reported in Nov 2011 and still no change. I find it hard to believe that nothing can be done about this? Disgrace!!!

I actually lived at 100 N Swarthore ave house... Rented an apt out from Mr pakalidis in the year 99/2000 I believe... I now live in Tampa. Does anyone know if he still owns it? Is it vacant? For sale? I was a flight attendant at the time... The house is haunted... My electric bill was through the roof ( cause of such old wood frame windows). I never understood why he wouldn't allow anyone in the basement...
It is a really cool house though

How do you know the house is haunted?

TOO MUCH SHRUBBERY!!!!!!!

I live the huge abandoned "hippie house" I'd live to buy & restore it!!!!! I hear he refuses to sell it, even to the highest bidder. Believe me I've tried reaching out, no response.

Does anyone know if Pakalidis still owns the house at 100 N. Swarthmore Ave?? I lived in there from 2000-2001.. i rented a room upstairs.. was a flight attendent based in Philly.. any infor would be great..

The vacant home( mansion) on Swarthmore Ave..& Sellers...was once a ship captains home??

The vacant home( mansion) on Swarthmore Ave..& Sellers...was once a ship captains home??

The vacant home( mansion) on Swarthmore Ave..& Sellers...was once a ship captains home??

i actually rented from Mr Pakilidis back in 2000 in the huge mansion on the corner. heard there was a swimming pool in the basement and no one was allowed down there. turns out all my rent money was going to his wifes Diaylisis. the place is haunted... it woukd be a wonderful home if it were renovated and cleaned up. my favorite was the grand staircase in the foyer.

Does anyone know if there is a pool in the basement of this old mansion just curious