Thanks for reporting this. I am in the house next door and the ongoing scaffolding is a drag. However I am also concerned that they handle repair professionally since scaffolding appears to be keeping bulging front of building up.

If that the case I can't figure out why the city wouldn't force them to fix the facade (I too have seen it bulging outward) or condemn it. Otherwise what's approved through inaction is the eventual collapse of the facade and a major threat to life and property - ridiculous!!

Somehow I failed to note that this month marks four full years the structure has been there.

If there isn't already an ordinance limiting how long a scaffold can be up, there should be.

I remember when they put up the scaffold they put up signs for 30 day permit.

Agree with Charles. I have never once seen construction being done here. If it's indeed true that the front of the building is bulging, then this could be a serious public safety concern. It needs to be addressed by the appropriate City department and the neighborhood should be made aware of the status and outcome. Things like this are "let slide" far too often.

I believe this company owns and / or manages the building.

Yolanda assigned this issue to Code Compliance Inspector - Michael LoBue

Mitchell Macgregor does own the entire building. A friend of mine used to rent from this building years ago and they are notorious for not keeping things up to code. In the winter the apartments reach up to 55 degrees even with the heater on. They had reported this to the housing authority previously but to no avail. Very questionable operation and I fee sorry for the current tenants that live there.

We need to pressure on this slumlord to fix it or sell it! It's an eyesore to say the least!! Is there any way the Harsimus Cove council can spearhead this crusade for change?

Why rely on someone else to do something before we've exhausted what we the people can do? Thanks to the public nature of this service request I logged with Jersey City Connect, *we* can take steps to pressure the owner to fix it. I have it on my list for Monday morning to call Mitchell MacGregor at 973-233-1374 and soberly ask them about the scaffolding. The more calls they get like this, the more pressure they feel. Meanwhile, the city will be working this from their angle because this is now a task in their system. Eventually we'll be successful in working this issue in concert with the city. We can do this, most times all it takes is letting the powers that be know that people want something done about it.

Code Compliance Inspector - Michael LoBue assigned this issue to Construction Code Official

I just called the owner of the building and got their voice mail. Instead of leaving a message, I'm opting to call back later when I can get a human.

Just off the phone with the owner Mitch McGregor to inquire about the scaffolding. He says that the delay is due to needing to get the financing together to being the project of removing and rebuilding the brick facade. He says he's currently getting the permits to begin the work and it should be done by late winter. If work hasn't started in a couple of months, I'll discuss with the Dept of Buildings to find out what the hold up is. Thanks to all for the great info above that enabled me to act.

Excellent work, Stephen!

To clarify, after 4 years, financing is now secure and the only hold up is the building department_ correct?

According to Mitch, yes. :-) We'll see!

I would still like to hear from Housing and Code Enforcement in this. It boggles my mind that a property owner can get away with this for three years, that the facade of the building is so likely to collapse that scaffolding is out up but tenants are still allowed to live there. In the interest of public safety, I'd like an answer.

Checking in on this issue. Housing Code Enforcement, please respond, thank you.

Thank you for reporting! We will investigate

This was sent to Housing and Construction Code

Hold on. This should not be closed. Just because the case was referred to a different department doesn't mean the problem is solved or that an answer was provided. I'm reopening and will keep it open until I get a statement from Housing and Construction Code. Thank you.

Agreed. We need a resolution here.

Please contact the Buildings Department, this has nothing to do with the Buildings & Streets Department at DPW.

I thougt this app allows the DPW to forward directly to the building department?

Not right that residents be forced to call in the same complaint multiple times based on the City's mistaken routing and subsequent inability communicate internally.

Work started about two weeks ago per the conversation I had with Mitch McGregor referred to above.

I'm going to close this case seeing that it is an active worksite.