An apartment building with sewage and water problems so severe that residents had to be abruptly evacuated by the Allegheny County Health Department was the main topic at the Carrick Community Block Watch’s May 5 meeting.
The audience grilled representatives from Pittsburgh’s Bureau of Building Inspection about why the situation grew so dire and what the city will do about the putrid pool of sewage outside 14 townhouses in the Berg Place apartment complex.
“Over five, six years we’ve had a really high turnover of inspectors in this ward, so some of the complaints have gotten lost. It’s not an excuse,” Mark Mariani, the bureau’s project chief, told residents. “We are working with the Health Department and a city construction crew to get the place boarded up. Once we found out about the condition, we did an assessment and came up with roughly 340 to 350 violations.”
Mariani said none of the buildings owned by landlord Davin Gartley had smoke detectors. The owner is “jumping between bankruptcy multiple times,” he added. “It puts us in a position where we can bring violations, but history shows that nothing happens when it’s in this position.”
Residents of the complex—including a number of Bhutanese refugees—were evacuated after media coverage of the problems. Gartley’s dispute with the water company had left tenants drawing water from garden hoses connected to nearby units he also owns. Sewage collected in a ditch in front of the property and leaked into a cemetery behind it.
City Councilwoman Natalia Rudiak said four developers have contacted her about buying the properties. “I’m a neighbor, so I’d rather not see it boarded up,” she added.
Inspectors also discussed vandalism, break-ins and squatting at the closed St. Basil’s School, whose owner is likewise in bankruptcy. Legal complaints are expected later this month.
Residents surprised crime-prevention Officer Christine Luffey with flowers, balloons and a state House citation for her work protecting pets. She then reviewed recent incidents:
- High-speed pursuits: On April 13 and April 20 officers chased dirt bikes traveling up to 60 mph on Brownsville Road and nearby streets before supervisors halted the pursuits.
- Drug arrests: Officers stopped a car and found two women, 57 and 31, “loaded with heroin,” Luffey said. On May 1 at 8:30 p.m., a drug sale in a car at Brownsville and Bausman involved a 52-year-old buyer from Coraopolis.
- Stalking case: On March 12 a parolee broke into a woman’s home on Spencer Avenue “to watch her undress,” Luffey said. He faces burglary and related charges.
Luffey urged residents to report vandalism promptly so police can assign “quality-of-life” patrols. She also reminded pet owners that all dogs and cats must be vaccinated and noted the city offers free spay/neuter services for up to five animals per household.
Upcoming events included volunteer garden work at the Veterans Monument on May 21–22 and a community day June 11 at Carrick High School, where Block Watch members will staff a table.
