Saturday, April 29, 2000
Surgeons' abandoned house may be razed, county says
By Allen Howard
The Cincinnati Enquirer
ANDERSON TWP. — A two-story house, made of wood and stone, that has been abandoned by two doctors for more than a decade, may have to be torn down.
The building has been condemned by the Hamilton County Health Commissioner and the county building department.
“It is a mess,” said Tim Ingram, health commissioner. “The owners left it abandoned and it has become a nuisance to neighbors and the township.”
Mr. Ingram said the four-bedroom home is owned by plastic surgeons Jerry and Pamela Silver. He said they have moved to Owensville, in Clermont County. The only communication with them is by mail.
Attempts to reach them for this story were unsuccessful.
He said the county health board conducted a preliminary hearing Thursday, but the owners did not attend.
“The big hearing is May 15 when we will decide whether to tear it down,” Mr. Ingram said.
The house is in a plush section of the township at
5986 Crittenden Drive.
Some neighbors declined to comment about the house and some didn't think it was that much of a nuisance.
“Actually, it doesn't look bad from the outside,” said Patrick Shaw who lives across the street.
Barbara Heffner, township building inspector, said they have had problems with the owners for 10 years.
“There is a lot of boxes and junk inside the house,” Mrs. Heffner said. “We found medical records, medical paraphernalia, drugs, syringes, and an IV bottle hooked up in a bedroom. We haven't opened all the boxes.”
She said the building has begun to deteriorate from lack of care. “There is food scattered over the place, and feces left apparently from animals and other creatures in the building. The roof over the kitchen area is leaking and a ceiling is falling in,” she said.
Russ Jackson, a member of the township board of trustees, said the real problem started when officials learned that children had gone through the house, taken some photos of the doctors' patients and brought them to school.
“They showed up in school with before and after pictures of some of the patients who had plastic surgery and some of the medical equipment found in the house,” Mr. Jackson said.
The township trustees passed a resolution last month to have the house sealed.
According to records of the Hamilton County Auditor, the market value of the house is $163,000 and the property taxes are paid up to date. Mr. Ingram also ordered the building boarded up and put up “no trespassing” signs when he learned that there was medical equipment inside.
When the doctors abandoned the house, it didn't create much of a stir.
“My friend Tom McCrew, who lived next door, cut the grass every week,” Mr. Jackson said. “Whenever there was a maintenance problem with the house, we were able to make contact with the owners through the Mount Washington Savings and Loan Association and the owners would come out and fix it.”
Mr. Ingram said the utilities and property taxes on the building are paid.
Jerry and Pamela Silver could not be reached.
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