Wasn’t Warned of Demo Plan, Duquesne Man Says

By Tom Leturgey
The Tube City Almanac
June 05, 2025
Posted in: Duquesne News

This rowhouse at 606 Crawford Ave. is on Duquesne’s demolition list. Its owner says he was never notified of plans to tear it down. (Tom Leturgey photo for Tube City Almanac)

A Duquesne resident had concerns about his properties being on the city’s demolition list. Charles Morgan owns four properties — 600, 602, 606 and 608 — on Crawford Avenue and three have been scheduled to be torn down.

Only 608 isn’t on the list that the city council has been working on for years.

Morgan talked to Duquesne City Council on Tuesday night. He said he’s a truck driver who is gone for long stretches of time. “I haven’t got any notification,” he told city council. “I didn’t get certified mail.”

City Solicitor Myron Sainovich and Mayor R. Scott Adams said the city has had public meetings about all of the properties that are scheduled for demolition, and all have been marked with official paperwork.

For about a year, the city has taken a more ambitious role in planning for demolition and the re-use of properties that have been neglected for years, if not decades. The city has purchased equipment to aid in that work.

In November 2023, the city held a public hearing to discuss tearing down nine dilapidated city properties, including including three owned by Morgan.

At the time, city manager Douglas Sample that city officials were “ticking off all the boxes” in the process of scheduling the properties for demolition. Officials said that “everything was done legally.”

Morgan told council that he is “behind on taxes” but “cuts the grass” at the rowhouses in the city’s Third Ward. A reporter visited the properties this week and although the rowhouses are largely enveloped in ivy and weeds, the lawn was recently mowed.

The windows and doors are boarded up. Morgan said that a city employee “kicked in” one of the doors. From the sidewalk in front of the townhouses, the door at 606 Crawford Ave. appeared to be open.

Morgan, who according to Allegheny County records, bought the properties in 2013 and 2014, said that one of the properties had electricity. Online Allegheny County real estate tax records only go back to 2022, but Morgan isn’t completely up to date on any of the properties.

Adams asked Morgan what his “ultimate plan” was for the properties. Morgan said while he parks several of his personal cars at the properties, he had plans to renovate the homes. A Veteran’s Administration loan “fell through” he told council. He estimated that replacing the roof would cost “$40,000.”

Adams encouraged Morgan to talk with an attorney soon if he wanted to avoid the wrecking ball. Officials say that City Engineer Laura Branthoover would soon be fielding bids to tear down the properties.

In other business, council held the first reading of amendments to the 2019 Landlord Tenant Ordinance. A third reading will be held at the July 1 meeting, at which time council will consider voting on the changes.

In addition, council will amend a 2024 ordinance to “clearly identify boats as recreational vehicles” and to “delineate the proper area for storage.” The second and third readings and consideration for passage are also scheduled for the July meeting.

Council ratified a resolution requesting a grant of $250,000 from Greenways, Trails, and Recreation Program for Phase II of the Duquesne Memorial Park at Polish Hill.

Mayor Adams said he had recently talked to a resident who had a question about her water bill. The resident said she was overcharged for water.

Councilman Aaron Adams answered that the city “charges a minimum” of 1,000 gallons per account. “That’s been in existence for a very long time.” Both agreed that charging a “minimum” for water is a common practice in Allegheny County.

In his police report, Chief Tom Shaw reported that seven applicants took the test to potentially join the force and his department responded to 236 calls of service in May.

Tom Leturgey is a freelance writer based in Pittsburgh and the editor of KSWA Digest, the online news and features home of the Keystone State Wrestling Alliance. His work also appears in The Valley Mirror and other publications.

Originally published June 05, 2025.

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