EBENSBURG — The former Olbum’s furniture store property – now an empty lot – in downtown Johnstown was bought Monday by a city lawyer at Cambria County’s annual delinquent tax sale.
Thirty properties were sold for $113,631 for unpaid taxes, said Sam Runzo, director of the county Tax Claim Bureau.
The new owner of the Olbum’s property is D.C. Nokes, who paid $17,171 for the lot.
Nokes once hoped to build a multistory garage-condominium next to his law office at Adams and Bedford streets, but that dream fell by the wayside a few years ago. Nokes said he now plans to build a one-story garage as part of a project that will include a new lobby and elevator for his Adams Street office building.
“We’ll be ready to break ground in the spring for it,” he said.
With the Olbum’s purchase, Nokes said he now owns the entire block on his side of Adams Street between Bedford Street and Frankstown Road.
His tower-complex proposal didn’t materialize, he said, because “it was prohibitedly expensive, plus there is a lack of marketability in downtown Johnstown for condos.”
In addition, the property has been tied up in bankruptcy proceedings for years, and because of that, there is uncertainity over the title, Nokes said.
He said he had written to all the lienholders in the bankruptcy proceeding, but had no replies from any of them about their interest in the Adams Street property.
The four-story former Olbum’s building, which was crumbling and had become an eyesore, was demolished by the city in 2008.
The tax sale offered 275 properties.
But because purchasers don’t get “clear deeds” – without any liens, judgements or mortgages – the sale attracts few buyers, Runzo said.
Proceeds from the sale go to the county, school districts and municipalities for the unpaid taxes.
In addition to Nokes’ purchase, the two properties drawing the highest bids were:
• A house-trailer at 1280 Swartz Road in White Township, purchased by John and Martin Woomer of Salix for $18,500.
• A former restaurant-bar property at 1024 Philadelphia Ave. in Northern Cambria, bought by Michael and Linda Schettini of Northern Cambria for $16,100.
The former Miners Hospital property – now a lot since the old building has been demolished – did not attract any bidders, Runzo said. It was on the auction block for $136,533 and is owned by Northern Cambria Community Development Corp.
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