Former PTL condo building in bad shape; residents suing owners
Residents in a condominium complex connected to former TV evangelist Jim Bakker and his PTL television network are now speaking out on a lawsuit against the current owners of the property they say is in bad need of disrepair.
Kensington Place stands within eye shot of the PTL Tower at Regent Park and was never finished when Bakker’s ministry came to a screeching halt in the late 1980s. Now, residents like Deborah Pulliam, who owns one of the 110 condos in the seven-story tower, are suing to get the property fixed.
[audio: 130408-Pulliam-B.mp3]Pulliam says water damage to the building’s electrical system leaves the building’s two elevators working intermittently and has led to mold and mildew in a number of apartments on the site.
In a written statement released Monday, the plaintiffs argue that, “Professional inspections and invasive testing of the property have revealed serious repair and maintenance needs. The projected cost required to repair the property to reasonable standards of safety and health is estimated to be over $8 million.”
Malayan United Industries Berhad, which purchased the property in 1990, was not able to be reached for comment Monday. The suit also names Regent Carolina Corporation and the Kensington Place Property Owners Association as defendants.
“Over many years, owners made repeated appeals to MUI for basic building repairs and maintenance of the common areas necessary for improving substandard conditions,” Pulliam said in a statement. “However, their many requests were largely unfulfilled. During the period of time which MUI controlled the [Kensington Place] Board of Directors, owners had no representation and no voice on the Board. No Annual Meetings were held at which KP owners could address their grievances.”
A date for trial has not yet been set.
Meanwhile, grassroots efforts to tear down a the nearby dilapidated PTL Tower remain in limbo. Morningstar Church, which owns the property, says it wants to turn the 21-story tower into a senior living center.
But York County says absent proof of the financial means to do so, the building needs to be torn down.
