Too many city neighborhoods have abandoned or deteriorating properties that bring down property values, make a less attractive environment, along with all the other inherent problems. We look like a town that doesn’t care to visitors. How are good families and small businesses encouraged to live her with the waste of our housing stock so evident? Our own City Hall abandoned, with a leaking roof! An administration that can’t maintain one building is also supposed to be entrusted with the care of our housing infrastructure.

Our incredible City Hall, abandoned, not good enough for this administration. It is just an old building like the ones facing the wrecking balls, the city’s interpretation of blight remediation. City Codes is not enforcing homeowners and landlords to repair leaking roofs and gutters that cause water damage to escalate quickly and causes structural damage to occur, which leads to demolition. A recent home demolished on Market Street and an exceptional lumber-era home on Park Avenue. What a great reward to the neighbors that maintain their properties. Several homes in the historic district are heading for the wrecking ball. This is a city defined by neighborhoods and one eyesore can destroy an entire neighborhood.

Confusion Corner is arguably the most visible neighborhood in the city and it is shameful! How many of these decaying homes would last another hundred years if the administration and codes were proactive and enforced owners to maintain roofs and gutters? How many will end up vacant lots because of years of leaks?

City officials claim we need more homes while our existing housing stock is being wasted along with an abandoned City Hall.

Now is not the time for apathy. This is a crucial point for our city. If our administration gives up our most important architectural, governmental and communal assets, I see no avenue for change, only I downward spiral for our quality built older homes.

When it comes to City Hall, Williamsport throws more knuckleballs than Hoyt Wilhelm! What’s the next plan? Another feasibility study? Early on a very capable and creative local architect submitted plans to make City Hall more efficient and codes compliant and plans to install a lot less obtrusive handicap access. Both plans ignored. The mayor intent on selling City Hall “for a song,” disregarding what feasibility studies and analysts report. Anything but the fiscally responsible and sensible decision to get back in City Hall!

Please enforce codes!! Quit wasting our quality older housing!

Williamsport would be a lot more vibrant community if not lack of vision, leadership and consolidated conservation mindset. If you want to keep Williamsport integrity, speak up!Hopefully some members of council have some “plugger” ethics and courage to do what is best for our ARTS community.

WILLIAM LOGUE

Williamsport

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