A year ago, someone posted on Philadelphia Speaks about a blighted property on the corner of 10th & Winton, in South Philly. Yesterday, the thread came back to life as a neighbor discovered that the owner of the property is Patricia Mendelsohn, of Tyson Realty. The poster, AngelB, even went so far as to contact the owner’s office in the Northeast to confirm that they do, indeed, own this dilapidated specimen.

As you can see, this place should probably be condemned.

In 2009

Recent shot

Another angle

Typically, properties like this tend to be tax delinquent, which allows persistent neighbors to force them to sheriff’s sale. We were a little surprised to see that the property is up to date on taxes. We were even more surprised to see that the reason that the property is current on taxes is that the tax burden is $0. Yes folks, this wreck of a property is exempt from property taxes, and probably has been for fifteen years.

It seems that Mendelsohn purchased the property from HUD in 2000, which took over ownership in 1998. We’re guessing that while HUD was steward for the property, the tax burden was erased, and never brought back. Paging the Office of Property Assessment! Come on down and get this property on the books! It’s only been twelve years, why not put it on the list before Christmas, eh?