Mar 3, 2005 By Steve Ferris 3 min read

A Fayette County judge has ordered Ernest Liggett to resubmit a demolition permit application for a building he owns at 149 High St., Brownsville, to the borough and set a deadline for the demolition. Judge Steve P. Leskinen issued the order Wednesday based on an agreement reached by Liggett, his attorney, Sean P. Audley, Brownsville Borough Council President Jack Lawver and borough solicitor Melinda K. Dellarose.

Liggett owns most of the properties in downtown Brownsville.

The judge’s order says the borough will issue Liggett a permit with specifications prepared by the borough engineer on or about June 18.

Demolition will start within 90 days of the day the permit is issued and be completed within 45 consecutive days of the start date, according to the order.

If the property is transferred to a new owner during those 90 days, the borough will give the new owner 45 days from the date of the transfer to inspect the property and seek borough approval for repairs that would make it comply with the building code and avert the need for demolition.

If Liggett still owns the property 90 days after the permit is issued and demolition has not started, he will be assessed a civil penalty of at least $200 per day for every day demolition has not begun, according to the order.

The order comes after months of debate over the demolition permit and what specifications should be placed on it.

At issue is the yellow brick building at 149 High St. that Liggett was to have torn down under a previous court order in October 2003 that also mandated the demolition of the Plaza Theater. The theater building was torn down and the site cleaned up as ordered, but the yellow brick building is still standing.

Witnesses testifying at a January hearing into the matter said there were unresolved questions about a signature on a building demolition permit application, and the borough never issued the permit.

Testimony also indicated that the settlement agreement might have led to confusion over which property was to be razed.

According to Leskinen’s order, the demolition permit application fee Liggett paid for another property will be used for the 149 High St. application.

In addition, all action on the summary appeals Liggett and his wife, Marilynn, filed on Jan. 12 on six summary convictions ordered by Magisterial District Judge Ronald J. Haggerty Sr. were continued for 60 days, but the borough may request that hearings be scheduled after 45 days if titles to the properties in those cases have not been transferred to a new owner.