Albany claims Central Warehouse owner neglecting repairs

ALBANY – The city of Albany is firing back at the owner of the Central Warehouse after his claims that the city is trying to shut him out.

Amtrak service next to the building was stalled for several days because of concerns about a crumbling wall next to the tracks. The trains are now running again. However, the battle is not over.

Mayor Kathy Sheehan did not mince words. She’s calling out the owner of the building, Evan Blum, for neglecting it. She says Blum is in denial that the building needs serious, immediate attention.

“He has been told what he needs to do to take care of this building, he has been told what he needs to do to remediate this building, and he simply does not believe that the rules apply to him.”

Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan

Blum has claimed that the city had engineers exaggerate a report on the building in an effort to push him out as owner.

However, Sheehan says the city needed to get eyes on a dangerous situation.

“He has been told what he needs to do to take care of this building, he has been told what he needs to do to remediate this building, and he simply does not believe that the rules apply to him. He does not believe that what engineers — who have now looked at this building from the city, from the Department of Transportation, and from Amtrak — are telling him about how dangerous this building could become,” said Sheehan.

A source close to the county tells NewsChannel 13 they’re expecting a ruling soon that could dismiss Blum as owner of the building.