Business owners, tenants wait on demolition of apartment building destroyed by fire in Squirrel Hill

PITTSBURGH — The Jefferson Apartment building is still standing over 48 hours after an emergency demolition order.

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The city has been in contact with the owner and has given them additional time to get a plan in order. But neighboring businesses are also being impacted by the looming demo.

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Joe Sickler is the Assistant Manager at Lifetime Auto Center. He said, “Some of us work paycheck to paycheck, and to lose three days of work is hard on the week.”

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His business lost upwards of $4,000 a day in revenue due to the Forward Avenue Closure.

“I was told… ‘you cross the barrier; you’re going to jail,’” said Sickler.

Only a street separated the business from the fire on Tuesday, so Sickler’s crew jumped in to help.

“We jumped right on the ball and put the chairs out for the people that were in need,” said Sickler. “...helped them get the handicapped people off the street, provided bathrooms and facilities for everybody.”

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And now with the looming timeline of the buildings’ demolition, Joe wonders how they’ll be impacted once again.

Mark Goldberg owns Parkway Manor Apartments right next to the burnt building and is also waiting for answers.

“I’ve had no communication, actually, from anyone. I came here today thinking that my building would be closed,” said Goldberg. “I was told there would be no access to it, but that’s not true.”

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Goldberg has been allowing his 20 tenants, most with special needs, to gather some of their belongings. The Mayor’s office told Channel 11 that the Pittsburgh Fire Department did give the okay for people to go back into neighboring buildings. A paper, saying “DO NOT ENTER,” is now hanging on the door of the apartment building on the other side of Jefferson Apartments.

We saw a tenant come out of the burnt building. He said he wanted to grab some of his belongings before the demolition.

“I’m realizing it’s my home. And every day after it goes by, I’m like, ‘Wow, I can’t go back here.’ It’s nostalgic. It really does hurt,” said the Jefferson Apartments Tenant.

According to the mayor’s office, “PLI is responsible for issuing these notices and ensuring the property owner complies with all related orders. It is the owner’s responsibility to secure the building and prevent unauthorized access.”

While the demolition day is still unknown, the city has informed Channel 11 that the building owner has hired a private company to do the work, so it will not be the city’s financial responsibility.

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