SCHUMER: LOCAL PLEAS TO CLEAN UP ABANDONED VERIZON BUILDING, SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, HAVE BEEN IGNORED FOR TWO DECADES; BUILDING IS NOT ONLY AN EYE-SORE, BUT COULD NEGATIVELY IMPACT PROPERTY VALUES; SENATOR URGES VERIZON TO WORK WITH LOCALS TO MAINTAIN & CLEAN UP PROPERTY

Schumer Says Abandoned Verizon Building in the Village of Camillus Has Been Allowed to Deteriorate; Local Residents Shouldn’t Have To Stare At The Eye-Sore Every Day  

Letters Have Been Written And Calls Have Been Made To Verizon Asking For Their Attention, But Locals Have Not Received A Response – Schumer Urges Verizon to Listen to Community Concerns & Work With Locals to Clean Up the Property 

Schumer to Verizon: Be A Good Neighbor To Camillus and Clean Up This Eye-Sore

Standing on Green Street in the Village of Camillus, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today called on Verizon to respond to local concerns regarding a long-abandoned property in the Village, which has been a community eye-sore for the last 20 years. Schumer said residents have finally had enough of the current deteriorating state of the property, and are frustrated with the lack of upkeep and crumbling state of the building. Some fed up locals have even taken matters in their own hands by mowing the tall grass on several occasions. Schumer said locals should not be burdened by this property any longer, and Verizon should take the locals’ concerns seriously, by first returning their phone calls and responding to their letters, and second by working with local officials to maintain and clean up the property so it is no longer an eye sore or until the property is sold.

“Verizon needs to pick up the phone, listen to the concerns of local residents and village officials, and then move forward to address the decaying nature of this abandoned building on Green Street,” saidSchumer. “The residents of Camillus, who work hard to maintain their properties, deserve better – the building’s poor condition threatens the character of their neighborhood. That is why I am urging Verizon to be a good neighbor and respond to pleas to clean up this eye-sore immediately.”

Schumer explained that the 1 Green Street property in the Village of Camillus – the site of a former Verizon building – has been the source of headaches for local residents over the past several years. The building has remained unoccupied and unattended for nearly two decades. However, Verizon has done little to make improvements to or clean up the abandoned site. As a result, Schumer said not only has the building become an eyesore for community members, but it also threatens to lower area property values due to its poor condition and unfortunate location of smack-dab in the middle of a residential neighborhood.

Residents of Green Street and the adjacent Leroy Street have been frustrated with the state of the abandoned, unkempt property for years and, in an effort to have their voices heard, began writing letters and attempting to call Verizon to fix the situation. On many occasions, the Village of Camillus itself attempted to contact Verizon to no avail. During each attempt to contact the company, the Village never received adequate responses or attention. The village has the option to bring Verizon to court over the numerous code violations, but has not yet decided to do so.

When residents’ attempts failed to garner any attention to the issue from Verizon, they contacted Schumer’s office. With more than 12 notices and follow-ups of violations citing the poor condition and maintenance of the property, Schumer said the time is now for Verizon to step in and be a good neighbor. Schumer said Verizon should first do this by hearing residents’ concerns and, second, by working with local officials to clean up the property. Verizon has been cited for failing to mow the grass at the property, not attending to the wood trim that is rotting or the door paint that is peeling and overall poor condition and maintenance. Some fed-up locals have even taken matters in their own hands by mowing the tall grass. That is why Schumer is calling on Verizon to hear the pleas of local residents and show complete attention to this matter.

Schumer was joined by Camillus Mayor Patricia Butler and local residents.

“In my capacity as both Mayor and a resident of Green Street, we are asking for Verizon to be a good neighbor and improve the poor condition of this property. Yet those appeals continuously seem to go unnoticed,” said Camillus Mayor Patricia Butler. “We take pride in our property and would like for Verizon to do the same. I thank Senator Schumer for his attention to this matter and hope that with his involvement, the village will finally get some answers.”

A copy of Schumer’s letter to Verizon CEO Mr. Lowell McAdam appears below:

Dear Mr. Lowell McAdam,

I write to express concerns about Verizon’s vacant building in the Village of Camillus, New York at 1 Green Street. Both village residents and officials have reached out to my office regarding the deteriorating nature of the property.

The building, which has been unoccupied and unattended for years, is an eye-sore for local residents and threatens the character of this residential neighborhood.  The building’s rotting façade and unkempt land do not meet the village’s minimum requirements for property. In fact, residents of Green Street and the adjacent Leroy Street believe the existence of the building is actively lowering their property values.

The Village of Camillus has on numerous occasions attempted to contact Verizon about the poor condition of the building, and they have provided my office with documentation of their efforts. When their attempts failed, residents decided to take matters into their own hands and mow the grass themselves. Yet, they still await appropriate communication from Verizon, as well as a permanent plan for better maintaining the site.

For the past several years, residents in the community have sacrificed their own time and energy to take care of your abandoned property, as well as their own. It is imperative that Verizon hear the pleas of local residents and show complete attention to this matter.

I trust that Verizon will soon establish a better line of communication with neighbors and with village officials, and that an appropriate and effective plan for cleaning up this eye sore and maintaining it going forward can be forged with all due speed. I look forward to hearing from you on this matter, and with working with Verizon and the Village of Camillus to implement positive changes.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Schumer

United States Senator

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