Two properties on appeal before the Board of Health this week will remain public nuisances.

David S. Taylor of Bradford had filed appeals on the nuisance designations of 198 E. Main St. and 13 Rochester St., which were made at the March 25 board meeting.

Taylor testified by phone during the hearings. The first property up for consideration was 198 E. Main St., which Taylor had bought in May 2022 out of the McKean County Repository. He told the board that when he bought the property, he didn’t realize there was a time limit to fix the code violations.

198 E Main St.

Era file photo

When he got the house, it was filled with the belongings of the last owners. Referring to the code violations, he said, “I have the means to get everything done, but it’s just a matter of getting my ducks in a row.”

Taylor said he has a contractor that works for him who can do rehab work on the structure. The board asked for a timeframe and a scope of work. Taylor said he didn’t have that yet, but said he thought he could get it done by this time next year.

Board member Kris Goll asked why Taylor would take on properties that already had issues with them, and why it has taken so long to have any work done on it.

Taylor, who is in the car business, said he was interested in “dabbling in something different,” meaning real estate. As a result of the purchases, he said, “I got my head under water.”

He said he’d like a chance to continue rehabbing the structure, adding that he realizes it needs work. He would focus on the foundation and roof, gut the interior and fix the siding, among other tasks. Taylor noted that he would likely have to “put the property on stilts” as work progressed on the foundation, which he stated has experienced brick deterioration due to some water runoff from the hill behind the house.

Board member Tim Pecora returned to the line of questioning regarding any timelines for the work, asking Taylor if he could at least provide the board with a rough estimate on when any rehab work would begin. Taylor responded that it would be prior to the end of the year, and then narrowed it down to within a month or less.

Board president Fred Proper questioned Taylor on the financial aspect of getting the structure up to code and wondered about any financing he might have in place for the work.

Taylor said a local bank had “looked at” both properties and said he is looking to secure a loan to help with the costs of the work.

Special counsel Tyler Hannah then questioned health director Brandon Plowman, establishing a case for keeping the nuisance designation. The property had been condemned Dec. 26, 2018.

Plowman said he visited the property Tuesday, and the violations still existed. He said the entire roof structure needs replaced, and the current shingles are cupped, curling and deteriorated. All windows need replaced or fixed as there are broken panes, rotted wood and peeling paint. The exterior siding is missing in spots. The foundation is non-existent in some sections, and there is serious crumbling and collapse, which may result in the entire structure collapsing. Because of that, the interior structural joints have deteriorated.

Plowman said the code violations rise to the level of a public nuisance. The board agreed unanimously.

13 Rochester St.

The board then turned its attention to 13 Rochester St., which was condemned Oct. 23, 2018, and declared a public nuisance March 25. This property was also bought from the repository in May 2022.

In his testimony, Taylor stated that he had previously removed a large amount of garbage/debris and belongings from the structure.

“When I bought it, the garbage (inside) was four feet high,” he explained, adding he probably removed around 31 or 32 trailer loads of garbage and belongings from the structure.

He said he does take care of the yard, weather permitting. He also confirmed the property will need to be “gutted and redone,” and that he has fixed a broken pipe at the property and placed gravel in the driveway.

While he knows the property needs work, Taylor said due to health and personal reasons, he has not had the time to work on the property.

During his testimony to the board, Plowman said a number of violations exist. The entire roof needs to be replaced. He said the asphalt shingles on the roof have deteriorated to such a degree, he would not be surprised if there is water infiltration inside the structure. The roof work will require all new sheeting and rafters.

The foundation is collapsing and deteriorated, the block foundation is crumbling, and the sill plates are rotted, which might lead to structural issues. The soffit and fascia, windows and any exterior surface with paint is chipped, flaking and peeling. There is missing aluminum siding on the upper rear of the structure, there are numerous overgrown trees, with some growing through the lattice of the front porch. There is an accumulation of rubbish and garbage, the front porch interior roof is collapsing, and the interior floors of the structure have shifted.

Plowman said that while he did not enter the structure, he could see through a window that the floor has detached from the wall and there is daylight showing between the walls and flooring.

The board voted unanimously to affirm the nuisance order.

In other business, the board scheduled an appeal hearing for Aug. 5 for Aaron Griffith of Yorkshire, N.Y., for 81 Williams St.

The board approved a nuisance property waiver for 253 South Ave., which is listed as being owned by Lewis B. Cornelius Jr., et al. The property is in the care of his son, Stephen L. Cornelius of Sioux Falls, S.D. The property was originally declared a public nuisance by the Board of Health on June 24.

A continuation order for 388 South Ave. as a public nuisance was approved with a change of ownership. The property is now owned by Nathan Woodruff of Lewis Run.