Downtown Warren building saved from demolition after lawsuit settlement

A legal battle over a downtown Warren building has ended in a settlement, preventing its demolition. The agreement resolves a lawsuit filed by 155 South Park LLC, the owner of “Park Place” at 155 South Park Avenue, against the city of Warren and several of its officials.

U.S. District Judge Benita Pearson officially closed the case on Friday, after being informed by 155 South Park LLC’s lawyers that a settlement had been reached, averting a planned court hearing about stopping the demolition. The terms of the settlement haven't been made public yet, but both sides have until June 30 to submit their final agreement to the court.

The lawsuit, filed on May 20, accused the city and its officials of violating the property owner’s constitutional rights. 155 South Park LLC claimed the city was unfairly trying to block their construction work and changed a court-approved agreement about repairs to the building.

Previously, the property owner had agreed with the city to fix a collapsed brick wall on the building by May 15. The owner said they had already spent over $227,000 on these repairs.

The lawsuit stated that on March 31, Christopher Taneyhill, Warren’s chief building official, issued a new document that significantly changed the repair plan. The new order reportedly demanded that all brick walls be removed and replaced, including one that was never part of the original agreement. The company argued this change would quadruple the cost and time needed for repairs, making it impossible to meet the deadline.

Following this, the city issued a stop-work order on May 16 and then moved to demolish the building. 155 South Park LLC argued in court that tearing down the building would cause “irreparable harm,” including financial losses and potential damage to the nearby Boyle Building, which shares a wall. The lawsuit also hinted that the demolition might benefit undisclosed private interests.

Before the settlement, a federal judge had issued a temporary restraining order on May 20, temporarily halting the demolition. This order was later extended to allow the parties more time to negotiate, which ultimately led to the settlement.