With their patience tested, Walden Village Trustees are pressing for urgent action on two long-standing, unsafe properties at 76-80 West Main St. and 60 Main St., urging their owners to expedite safety measures and provide detailed plans by the Nov. 12 meeting.

At 76-80 West Main St., owner Andrew Concolino and his engineer Anthony Meluso faced scrutiny over delays in stabilizing the deteriorating building. Concolino cited supply chain issues and rising costs as reasons for the slow progress, while Meluso explained that updated permits are needed to continue work on the structure, originally stabilized in 2019. Trustees, however, expressed frustration, emphasizing the safety risks and the need for a concrete, actionable plan. Village Attorney Dave Donovan warned that without visible progress, a demolition order could be issued, and Building Inspector Robert Wallner confirmed the building’s worsening condition.

“So it’s not like I’m dragging my feet,” Concolino said. “ I’ve been doing something every single day. You’re getting emails. You’re getting emails. Absolutely. He’s getting emails. So I’m being proactive. I’m complying. I even retain counsel. He’s not able to make it tonight because he had surgery. If I need to bring my lawyer next time, I will. Like I said, I’m trying my best here.”

“Sir, I don’t want to speak out of turn,” replied Donovan. “I’m the board’s attorney, but here’s the deal. You need to move.”

Donovan reminded the building owner that an order to remedy was issued on August 22. The building owner also appeared before the board last month.

“Understand the process here, the board can direct that the building be demolished,” Donovan said. “I don’t think anybody here wants to do that, but they don’t want to come back, really the next meeting is three weeks, they want to come back in three weeks and hear the same thing.”

Trustee Ralph Garrison was more direct.

“You’ve had multiple notices. The building is unsafe,” Garrison said. “You just admitted that the building was unsafe. Right. So, I mean, my concern and the concern of this board is the community and the residents in the community.”

Similarly, the board addressed concerns over the boarded-up property at 60 Main St., owned by Sandro Tortora, who indicated that a sale is underway, though final details are pending.

Tortora maintained that the building is structurally sound aside from an issue with a rear addition, but trustees were dissatisfied with its unkempt exterior and lack of maintenance. Trustee Becky Pearson pointed out that Tortora has been notified of these issues for months, while Garrison questioned his commitment to the building’s upkeep if the sale falls through.

“The order of the remedy indicates the rear yard is overgrown in need of cutting and clean up,” Donovan said. “This was from August 22.”

“It’s October 15,” Garrison added. “The grass is the same. The conditions of the building are the same. There’s nothing done to the roof. There’s nothing done to the outside of it to fix it up. I mean, it’s just it’s there and it’s in the middle of town.”

The board authorized the village to clean the rear yard of the 60 Main St. property at Tortora’s expense and requested an engineering report to assess its safety.

“This wasn’t sprung on you immediately. You know, you’ve gotten notices,” Garrison said. “The address is on file. The notices were sent to the address. You knew it needed to be done. You know, you knew there was stuff that had to be fixed.”

Donovan reminded both owners that the board holds authority to enforce maintenance requirements regardless of any potential change in ownership, signaling a hardline stance on property neglect in Walden.