Philadelphia takes Thomas Jefferson University to Court
Philadelphia takes Thomas Jefferson University to court to fix its South Philly Building
The city of Philadelphia is taking legal action against Thomas Jefferson University after multiple warnings to adhere to their neglected properties.
Philadelphia has repeatedly warned Thomas Jefferson University to fix dangerous conditions at one of its downtown buildings for nearly two years — and now it’s taking the school to court.
A controller audit faulted the city’s Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) for lax oversight of dangerous buildings
According to the City of Philadelphia’s 5-year financial and strategic plan, Philadelphia has more than 3,500 buildings that are deemed “unsafe” or “imminently dangerous”.
The city alleges that Jefferson owes $1.4 million in fines for code violations at a building on South 10th Street — close to its hospital, per a complaint filed late last month in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.
According to Philadelphia’s Office of Property Assessment (OPA). That’s more than double the assessed property value of the building, which is in between an abandoned pizzeria and a barber shop near the Sansom Street intersection.
The city says it has reinspected the building seven times since August 2023.
Officials say the roof is partially collapsed and its floors and joists — the beams that help support the floors — are rotted and in need of repair, per the records. And the city says Jefferson hadn’t registered the building as vacant.
Thomas Jefferson University has accrued daily fines for 550 days
The city has asked a judge to issue an order compelling Jefferson to cease any use of the building and make repairs.
If no response is received from the University, the city’s Department of Licenses and Inspections is empowered under city law to hire a contractor to make the repairs and then charge the university for those costs, plus a 21% administrative fee.
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Philadelphia takes Thomas Jefferson University to court to fix its South Philly Building was originally published on rnbphilly.com
