Morning Headlines: Looking Even Worse for the Salvation Army

The Inquirer has an examination of what people knew and when they knew it before the Hoagie City building collapsed onto the Salvation Army thrift store. This goes to the heart of the matter in terms of culpability, both criminal (civil lawsuits) and moral. It also reemphasizes what we already knew and which Victor Fiorillo wrote about in September: The Salvation Army is not looking good in this whole thing. Some fundamental questions:

– Did the store manager at the Salvation Army know the employees were at risk?
– Did the Salvation Army supervisor of nine stores know the employees were at risk?
– Did the Salvation Army organization know that the demolition was risky enough to merit closing the location while the work continued?

The Salvation Army’s lawyer, Eric A. Weiss, told the Inquirer that the organization had no idea what stage the demo had reached.

At decision-making levels, Weiss said, the charity thought it was still negotiating with its Market Street neighbor over what steps would be taken to shield the shop during demolition when the collapse occurred.

He said the Salvation Army had designated a Harrisburg lawyer to negotiate with the owner of the building being torn down, STB Investments Corp., a company controlled by real estate investor Richard Basciano.

But the Inquirer reported previously that STB warned the organization of the hazards in a series of emails. As it stands now, aside from the criminal charges filed against the demolition contractor and the excavator operator, it seems as though the Salvation Army will bear the brunt of the blame for the loss of life and the injuries suffered. Good thing they’ve got deep pockets.

At issue in building collapse: Who knew what, and when?

And in other news…

• Listen up, eco-friendly homeowners. The Inquirer’s Alison Burdo informs us the cool-roof concept may not be as cool as you think.
• AxisPhilly reminds us of the new AVI process that’s sure to leave unaware homeowners shocked when they see their 2013 property tax bill.
• Fan of Sriracha sauce? According to the Philadelphia Business Journal’s Jared Shelly, Councilman Jim Kenney is hoping to get the company to move its plant to the city.
• The Inquirer’s Joseph N. DiStefano reports Liberty Property Trust is now focusing on industrial real estate and dumping its aging suburban office spaces.
• Council President Darrell Clarke has proposed amendments to the land bank bill, says AxisPhilly. Reactions from supporters of the bill are varied.