Tube City Almanac

June 19, 2008

Responsible Replies Are Welcome

Category: Rants a.k.a. Commentary || By

In the interest of fairness, I want to point out that an Alert Reader identifying himself only as "a concerned citizen of McKeesport" has posted a link to what he calls "videos of the first steps in the illegal taking and destruction of the Historic Hitzrot House in McKeesport, Pa."

You can go read my entire response if you want to, but I'll summarize it: Bull.

The present owners of the Hitzrot House have owned it since 1991, according to the Allegheny County Recorder of Deeds:

  • That's 17 years that families of patients at Kane Regional Center and parishioners of the churches Downtown have had to pass that building.

  • It's 17 years that Willig Funeral Home, Hunter-Edmundson-Striffler, and other businesses have had to entice customers to pass that building.

  • It's 17 years that residents of Harrison Village have wondered if the building might fall on someone, or if a child would get hurt inside.

  • It's 17 years that surrounding property owners have watched the value of their businesses or homes decline.

Who speaks for the rights of those people?

Alert Reader, I understand your emotions and your frustration, but I'm not buying it. Your anger is misplaced.

. . .

In Other Business: Prosecutors have dropped all charges filed against a local boxer in connection with a shooting at Nigro's Restaurant, according to the Tribune-Review.

Four of the five victims testified at a preliminary hearing that he didn't shoot them, but it took prosecutors more than a week to finally drop the charges.

It reminds me of the Ray Donovan case. Donovan, U.S. Secretary of Labor under President Reagan, was indicted by a New York prosecutor in 1981 and spent the next six years fighting a corruption investigation.

Finally, after a 1987 trial at which Donovan's attorneys called no witnesses, jurors acquitted Donovan on all charges.

"Give me back my reputation!" he yelled at the prosecutor. "Where do I go to get my reputation back?"

It seems to me that if four of the shooting victims were adamant that the accused shooter was innocent, then someone really screwed up.

As for the poor guy who spent two weeks in the slammer on $500,000 bail for a crime someone else apparently committed --- where does he go to get his reputation back?






Your Comments are Welcome!

All I can say after seeing those breathtaking videos on “MHSChannel” are, um, it looks like someone prcticing how to use a camera. It shows nothing. The user joined Youtube 23 hours ago! I dont think the footage will be airing on KDKA anytime soon. The city is just protecting us, the CITIZENS of MCKEESPORT from falling debris, decay, and otherwise neglect. We should have been worrying about this building 16 years ago. It is a little too late. I went there yesterday to check it out…too far gone, big chunks of the facade are falling off. It would take too much money to make worth it. I just wish when it is demolished, it is taken down gracefully, and any artifacts should be saved, especially that Eagles sign. To ADD: make a real video and don’t hide behind a fake name, and maybe someone might listen.
Adam Spate - June 19, 2008



In all fairness, Mr. Donovan’s character already had its unsavory aspects before that New York prosecutor indicted him.
Ivan G (URL) - June 19, 2008



For the love of God, if a building has been vacant and decaying for 17 years, then please tear it down. It’s too bad that it is a building of historical significance, but it appears that lots of opportunities were provided to the owners. As I wrote last week and Jason so ably summarized, this is a case of “addition by subtraction.” Does anyone really expect McKeesport to ever recover with these kinds of structures littered throughout the city? Do YOU want your business next to a vacant rat trap? Do you want your school or your home there? Tear down every vacant building in McKeesport and plant trees in their place. Make a few of them into parks. Make it a NICE place to work and live.
Dan - June 20, 2008



I’m siding with “the Almanac” and Adam and Dan on this one and I also want to say “Jason, nice bit of reporting on this issue.” You and the other writers on this topic really piqued my interest in the McKeesport Preservation Society and the old Eagles building so I went looking around online.
It appears that the home of the McKeesport Preservation Society and the old Hitzrot House both have delinquent taxes. The delinquency on the Hitzrot House leads me to wonder how serious anyone could be about restoring the building. The outstanding tax bill is a pittance compared to the money that would need to be spent on any serious restoration effort.

I also think the city is well within its rights to take action in this case. There is also such a thing as an “attractive nuisance” in the eyes of the law (nope I’m not a lawyer) and kids are easily attracted to “explore” these old, run down buildings where they could easily be hurt or worse. Then there is the possibility of all sorts of illegal activity that could be going on inside. People can get from dilapidated structures collapsing as has already been noted.

Any reasonable person can conclude that 17 years is more than enough time to at least BEGIN to take some concrete steps toward rehab, if that was the intent.
Bulldog - June 20, 2008



To comment on any story at Tube City Almanac, email tubecitytiger@gmail.com, send a tweet to www.twitter.com/tubecityonline, visit our Facebook page, or write to Tube City Almanac, P.O. Box 94, McKeesport, PA 15134.