Local

Neighbors concerned Allentown house could crumble to the ground

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Several Allentown residents contacted Channel 11 News to voice their concern with a home they say is slowly falling apart and putting their properties in danger.

The neighbors said no one would take care of the Manton Way home with boarded up windows and crumbling walls

“I have exhausted all of my means. I was told to call 311, and I’ve been calling them for years,” Erin Grindl said on Friday.

Grindl said there is about a 9-inch hole in the foundation of the home, causing it to move.

“I’m not in the building business, but I don’t think it’s going to stay up very long,” Grindl said.

A letter condemning the property is on the front door, but it had a demolition date of Aug. 29 -- which came and went with no action.

“We’re always concerned about public safety issues when it comes to buildings we do everything we can,” acting chief of the city’s building inspection John Jennings said.

Officials said the home was sold days before it should have been taken down, which complicated the process.

“We’re doing everything we can in this instance to have the building razed as quickly as we can,” Jennings said.

The demolition could happen as early as October, officials said.