GREENFIELD — As the result of a follow-up inspection Tuesday morning, the condemnation order remains in effect on a Coombs Avenue apartment building that abuts land where the new fire station is slated to be built.
Health Director Jennifer Hoffman said that despite the landlord’s attempt to resolve issues in the one apartment of the building the Health Department inspected this week, the condemnation order “still stands.”
“The house is not up to code,” Hoffman said, noting another order to correct was issued following Tuesday’s inspection.
Only one of the three apartments was inspected, as not all tenants were home when the inspector arrived Tuesday, according to Hoffman. She said the inspector observed that carpet in that apartment had been placed in the bathroom where a leaking toilet was causing water damage.
“They didn’t fix the plywood. They just put plywood on top of it and carpeted it,” she said. “He did not fix the problem; he just covered it up.”
The Health Department issued an order to correct, giving the owner 30 days to address the issue.
“Unfortunately, this is not a severe violation,” she said. “But I will be following up closely, to make sure he’s following through.”
The property on Coombs Avenue has been owned by Charlestown-based Venture Residential LLC since June 2021, according to the Franklin County Registry of Deeds. It abuts land recently purchased by the city, located at 33 to 39 Main St. and 10 to 12 Coombs Ave., where the new fire station is slated to be built. Venture Residential, LLC lists Elijah and Hosea Ketola as its managers, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.
The property came into the limelight last month when comments on multiple Facebook pages — regarding a photo of the property depicting piles of trash bags stacked out front — suggested the Health Department’s decision to condemn the building was a means to eventually acquiring it to allow for more space for the future fire station.
Addressing the statements made on social media, Hoffman explained during a Board of Health meeting on March 30 that the Health Department has been involved with the property — a multi-family home — since late last year, following up on various complaints and health code violations, including trash bags piling up on the property, the owner’s failure on multiple occasions to fill the oil tank for heating, exposed wires, and other unresolved plumbing and structural issues.
According to an inspection report filed on March 31, tenants still had no heat, but trash had been picked up by a group of residents who also donated trash stickers.
Last month, a temporary restraining order, which would require the landlord to address the numerous violations, was filed by one of the tenants in Western Housing Court, where Ketola appeared on April 7.
Hoffman said Ketola filled the oil tank, per court order, as it was the main emergency issue. It was unclear as of Tuesday whether potential stability issues had been fixed.
She added that the trash that had reportedly been piling up on the property has been picked up.
“We haven’t seen an accumulation of trash, so that’s a good thing,” Hoffman said. “But the trash wasn’t our main concern.”
Hoffman said the home is typically occupied by three to four families, all of whom the city was able to temporarily put up in a hotel, thanks to the Salvation Army, following the condemnation order.
“We are probably going to be reaching out to the downstairs tenants and the upstairs tenants (Tuesday) afternoon, so we can make an appointment with them,” she said.
Reporter Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne