Town in 'Wait-and-See' Mode on Dilapidated Home

With the 45-day deadline approaching to make renovations on a dilapidated house on Sycamore Avenue, the township is currently in a "wait-and-see" mode, according to township administrator James Naples.

"They haven't filed any applications as of yet," he said.

Thomas and Kethryn Czekaj were before the township council April 12 as the council was preparing to decide whether to authorize a demolition of the house that has been boarded up for years, and deemed uninhabitable. At that time, the council chose to allow for 45 more days for the family to hire a contractor and get the permits to remediate the house, or it will be demolished immediately.

Those 45 days will be up around the end of May.

Naples said that if the family has not filed any applications by the end of that 45-day deadline, the township will immediately move forward to demolish the house.

"We're on a wait and see approach now," he said.

Naples said he understands residents are anxious to have the property demolished, but the township will wait out the 45 days as promised.

"I understand they are moving forward with getting it together," he said, but added that he does not know if or when the family will file any applications for remediation.

Residents of Sycamore Avenue, near the house itself, have said they think it is time for the township to take action already since the house was deemed uninhabitable back in 2010. Many said they believe enough time has been devoted to this property at this point.

In April 2011, the house was deemed "blighted" by the township, with issues including cleanup of the outside and repair of the building needing to be addressed.

The work was initially required to be completed by Aug. 1, 2011.

If the township is forced to demolish the house, there is an escrow account with $20,000, from the Czekaj family, which will be used to pay for that work.