Westmoreland land bank buys first properties in New Kensington, Arnold

The Westmoreland County Land Bank bought its first properties in New Kensington and Arnold since the cities and their school district joined the blight-fighting program.

Six residential properties in New Kensington and one in Arnold were among a dozen tax-delinquent properties the land bank bought at a judicial sale on Monday.

New Kensington Council was the first to vote to join the program, doing so in April. The New Kensington-Arnold School Board approved its participation in June, followed by Arnold Council that same month.

The school district had to agree for either city to be able to join the program.

A judge stripped the properties of existing liens and tax obligations. The land bank paid minimum prices set by the county tax office to cover any outstanding costs. It did not face opposing bids.

The six properties bought in New Kensington were among 80 residential properties the city has targeted for demolition, according to City Clerk Dennis Scarpiniti.

The properties are at 1312 Kenneth Ave., 713 Walnut St., 1310 Woodmont Ave., 1220 Victoria Ave., 163 Freeport Road and 515 Sixth Ave.

Brian Lawrence, executive director of the land bank and the Westmoreland County Redevelopment Authority, said the properties were examined and determined to qualify for their programs.

“Therefore, we chose to pursue them at the judicial sale, to help break the cycle of tax delinquency and blight,” he said. “I do think that many of them will be demolitions but hold out hope that when we acquire title and make internal investigations, we might be able to put them on a path toward rehabilitation. We’re prepared for both outcomes.”

Once the properties are transferred to the land bank, Lawrence said, staffers will be able to go inside them and make fuller investigations.

“This usually takes just a few weeks and is determined by staff availability,” he said. “We try our best to look at lots of properties when we’re in a given area.”

New Ken residents react

• Jerry Kubaska has lived in his block of Kenneth Avenue for 42 years. He said 1312 Kenneth, across the street from his home, has been empty for 10 years and he was expecting it would stay that way for years more.

He said another neighbor cuts some of the grass to keep it from looking too bad, and he used to help.

“I think I have it tough — every block has four, five, six of these. It’s a shame,” he said.

Kubaska said the man who raised his family in the house would be rolling in his grave if he knew the condition his home was in.

“That house used to be immaculate,” he said.

• Kay Spirnock said shingles from 1220 Victoria end up in her yard next door.

“We have to pick them up before we can cut our grass,” she said.

“I think raccoons live in it. We’ve seen them climbing up the rain gutters,” she said. “We wouldn’t mind having it gone.”

• Gina Powers lives across from 1310 Woodmont Ave. She said everything of value inside, such as the pipes, was stolen from it years ago.

“It’s been empty for a long, long time,” she said. “Any number of things come in and out of there all the time — animals, people.”

Part of the roof appears to have caved in, and the wall of a garage at the front of the house is bowed in under the porch. The garage door was among the things taken; Powers said the neighbors try to cover the opening with tarps, but they don’t last long.

Powers, who has lived in the area for 50 years, said she remembers when the house was nice.

“I hate to see these houses go,” Powers said. “At one time, they were very nice houses. I can’t imagine what it would take to put it back together.”

Arnold property could be saved

In Arnold, Lawrence said 1500 Fifth Ave., a large residential property at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 15th Street, is vacant and was determined to be blighted. As of April, the property had unpaid taxes from 2014 through 2021.

“Further investigation confirms that the owner hasn’t paid sewage or garbage fees for two years,” he said. “And a field investigation conducted today further suggests that the property has been vacant for at least four to six months.”

Arnold’s inventory of blighted properties totals 85, Councilman George Hawdon said. Lawrence said 1500 Fifth Ave. was the only Arnold property that was available in this recent sale.

Because of its limited funding and backlog of distressed properties, Hawdon said, Arnold prioritizes buildings that have to be torn down and isn’t able to go after ones on the brink of becoming blighted.

While he has not seen inside 1500 Fifth Ave., Hawdon said it appears structurally sound despite signs of deferred maintenance, and there’s a chance it could be rehabilitated.

“It’s nice to have somebody looking for the ones on the edge like that,” Hawdon said. “This is why we joined the land bank. If they can save this property, all the better. If they stop it from sliding into disrepair, whether it requires demolition or they can rehab it, either way, that’s great.”

Two more judicial sales are scheduled for this year, in November and December.