Glass windows shattering at Center City apartments prompts lawsuit; resident speaks out
PHILADELPHIA - Residents of a high-rise in Center City are having a major problem after they say the windows keep falling out!
"It's right on the Schuylkill River trail. It’s a 10-minute walk to the hustle and bustle of Center City," said Sam Myers. He absolutely loved the unit he moved into mid-February of this year at Riverwalk Apartments in Center City.
"I also have a balcony on the third floor of this apartment which was a big draw for me and dog to be able to utilize that space," he said.
However, Sam says things quickly took a turn for the worse.
"I came home and there was a glass panel that had fallen over 20 stories and shattered on my balcony as well as my neighbor’s balcony," he said.
Sam gave us pictures of what he says he found when he returned home one day in May. Some of the glass left behind on his patio and the ground below and diagonally above his unit the window he says had shattered.
"I did reach out to the property management group and ask them is it possible a bird flew into the window? Is it possible someone threw a baseball through the window? I just wanted answers," he said.
Sam says the problem persisted in both buildings on the property.
"I think it took three or four windows to fall to get a public addressed email to all of the tenants," he said. Same exchanged several emails with the property manager. Property management company PMC Group sent at least two notices to residents about the windows. One dated June 19th reads in part, "We are aware of the concerns regarding the windows in our building and understand the frustration this situation has caused. Please rest assured that we are taking this matter very seriously."
"Past three months I think we've had six or seven windows fall. Eventually it's going to fall on someone," said Sam.
PMC Management Group sent the following statement to FOX 29 Wednesday night:
"PMC is aware of issues with window cracks and breakages at Riverwalk and Franklin Towers and we have taken immediate steps to address them. These incidents have led us to file suit against the glass manufacturer, Wausau Window, to resolve any potential defects. PMC is also working closely with the City of Philadelphia’s Department of Licenses and Inspections and structural engineers. Additionally, we are collaborating with a glass vendor to remove and replace cracked windows. Although the tempered glass windows are designed to crack into small pieces like a car windshield, we are proactively erecting protective ground-level scaffolding at Riverwalk. As it relates to Franklin Towers, we are meeting with the scaffolding company to develop a perimeter scaffolding plan for that building as well. These buildings are more than investments for PMC. Three PMC executives and their families call Riverwalk home. Their safety and the safety of all of our residents and the community is our highest priority."