Oct 31, 2017 3 min read

Washington officials are trying to recover more than $1 million the city says it spent to demolish an apartment building whose partial collapse last summer trapped a tenant for more than nine hours.

The city filed a writ Oct. 13 in Washington County Court seeking a judgment of almost $1.16 million against Mark Russo of Washington and his sister, Melissa, who lives in Colorado and also is listed in records as an owner of the property, “for costs directly related to the emergency demolition” of the building, located at 15 N. Main St.

The three-story Montgomery Building caved in July 12, trapping Megan Angelone under a refrigerator and two floors until rescuers freed her from the rubble late in the day.

Washington County President Judge Katherine B. Emery authorized the emergency demolition the day of the collapse.

“We obtained a lien on the property when Judge Emery issued the demolition order, so this is an attempt to monetize that,” said city solicitor Steven Toprani.

The Russos’ attorney, Elizabeth Tarasi, said the “cost seems to be out of line” and Mark Russo “had no say in the demolition.” She denied her client’s actions caused the collapse.

“My client never wanted this to happen, and this caving in was caused by the weight of the rainwater on the roof,” Tarasi said.

The matter has been referred to Mark Russo’s insurance company. Toprani said the insurer’s attorneys have until the first week of November to formally respond.

Court filings by the city attribute most of the costs – more than $1.1 million – to Allegheny Crane Rental Inc. More than $12,000 went to overtime for city police officers, firefighters and public works employees for securing the site of the collapse.

More than $18,400 was listed as having gone toward debris disposal. The filing puts legal fees at $5,470.

Separately, a hearing on citations filed by city officials for alleged ordinance violations at the Montgomery Building and other rental properties Mark Russo owns in the city was postponed.

Russo was scheduled to appear Tuesday before District Judge Robert Redlinger for a hearing on a total of 40 property citations, one filed in March when the owners allegedly “failed to replace (a) failing wall” at the Montgomery Building.

That hearing was postponed until Dec. 4. at the request of Redlinger’s office because of a scheduling conflict.

Toprani said negotiations to resolve the citations are ongoing. “My understanding is they’re taking steps to bring them into compliance or sell those properties,” he added.

Tarasi agreed, saying, “We’re just trying very hard to get this resolved and get things back to normal.”