Mar. 22—The owner of a downtown Latrobe apartment building has appealed the city’s March 8 condemnation of the six-story apartment building that officials say is infested with bugs.

Meanwhile, city officials said most of the tenants at 333 Main St. had made arrangements to live elsewhere by Friday, the deadline that was set for the building to be vacated.

Working with partner organizations, the city offered to provide temporary hotel accommodations for any tenant still in need of a place to stay, City Manager Terry Carcella said Friday.

The Union Mission in neighboring Derry Township is among the human service organizations that have reached out to offer help to the displaced tenants.

“We’re moving forward with what we need to do to secure the building,” Carcella said.

With the appeal filed by property owner Jay Pan LLC of Export, the city’s directives that security at the building be upgraded and that an exterminator be called in are on hold until a hearing has been held. That hearing will be held before a local code enforcement board consisting of three city council representatives.

Carcella said the hearing likely would be scheduled during the first week of April.

Serving on the enforcement board are council members Jim Kelley and Ann Amatucci, along with Mayor Eric Bartels. Councilman William Yuhaniak is an alternate member.

At its March 11 meeting, council hired Craig McVicker and Code Enforcement Associates as a special code consultant, at a rate of $125 per hour, as needed.

A Jay Pan spokesperson said Friday the building owner intends to work with a real estate agent on a plan to clear the structure of cockroaches and bedbugs. The spokesperson didn’t elaborate on the appeal.

Vanessa Jordan, who lived at the apartment building for 11 years, was able to leave Thursday. She said her brother is helping her and her emotional support dog move into a camper on his Blairsville-area property.

“I can cook in it,” she said. “It’s got a microwave and a refrigerator.”

She’s also applied to rent an apartment at area housing complexes, including Holiday Acres in Derry Township.

“It’s like a relief,” she said of the move. “At least I won’t have to live with roaches and possible rodents coming into my apartment anymore.”

An April 8 condemnation notice sent by the city to Jay Pan indicated vermin infestation in the building has created a serious hazard to the health and safety of the occupants and the public at large.

That finding was based on the opinion of a licensed exterminator and inspections completed on Sept. 21, Nov. 2, Jan. 11 and Feb. 8, according to the notice issued by city zoning and code enforcement officer Daniel Weimer.

The owner was given 14 days to have the building vacated and initially was directed to have an exterminator treat the entire building, including all apartments.

“The building may only be occupied after a licensed and certified pest control expert issues a report confirming that the building is infestation-free,” the notice states.

According to the notice, the city also directed that security measures be added at the building — including additional lighting, a key entry to the building for tenants and their guests, 24-hour access to a property manager, and provision of keys or key codes for first responders to gain access in an emergency.

Latrobe police responded to 40 emergency calls at the building from Sept. 1 through March 8, according to the notice, which stated, “The lack of illumination and the general condition of the premises creates a dangerous condition to the health and safety of the occupants and the public.”

Police response results in burglary charges

City police responded at about 6:45 p.m. on March 8 to a report of two people, including a juvenile, breaking into the office and basement of the apartment building.

Police have charged Bryan Michael Smith, 24, of Unity, in the incident.

According to the criminal complaint filed in the case, city police officer Jason Myers said he encountered Smith on the second floor as the suspect was holding a crowbar and had in his possession brass knuckles, a knife blade and three sets of labeled apartment keys.

The keys had markings and tags similar to other keys found on a desk in the building office that had been broken into, according to the complaint, while pry marks on the office door frame were consistent with the crowbar in Smith’s possession.

Myers said a witness told him she saw Smith and a juvenile male inside the office and walking into the basement.

Smith told Myers he was living in the building, that he intended to use the crowbar to change a tire for a friend and that the landlord had given him the keys so he could clean out apartments, according to the complaint.

Myers said the landlord indicated no tenant was working for her, and no one other than herself had permission to enter the secured office and basement.

Smith is charged with burglary, theft, receiving stolen property, criminal trespass and possession of an instrument of crime. Initially placed in the Westmoreland County jail, he was freed March 11 on $25,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear at an April 8 preliminary hearing before District Judge Tamara J. Mahady in Unity.

Neither Smith nor his attorney could be reached Friday.

The building owner indicated to TribLive that three people had broken into apartments there without having leases.

Jeff Himler is a TribLive reporter covering Greater Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant Area and Derry Area school districts and their communities. He also reports on transportation issues. A journalist for more than three decades, he enjoys delving into local history. He can be reached at jhimler@triblive.com.