PHILADELPHIA – A local real estate developer has sued its neighbor and the contractors they hired after repairs being undertaken at the adjoining property allegedly caused major damage to the developer’s underground pipes.
Rivera & Rivera Corporation of Philadelphia filed suit in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas on May 1 versus 1768 Frankford Avenue, LLC, Northeast Renovations, LLC and Felix and Son Contractors, LLC, all of Philadelphia.
“In or about February 2017, defendants’ workers entered onto the plaintiff’s property [at 1770 Frankford Avenue in Philadelphia], with plaintiff’s limited permission pertaining to the portion of the property in which they were permitted to enter, in regard to construction efforts undertaken at 1768 Frankford Avenue,” the suit states.
“Defendants’ workers subsequently exceeded the entry permission provided by the plaintiff, excavating under its property, and damaging its subterranean pipes running from the structure to the main, resulting in a compromise of the flow of the effluence from the structure to the main, and back-up thereof.”
The suit says the defendants breached their duty of care owed to the plaintiff by “undertaking construction which was sub-standard, non-workmanlike and shoddy, including, but not limited to, damaging the subterranean pipes at 1770 Frankford Avenue running from the structure to the main, and failing to remediate any damages caused.”
For counts of negligence and trespass, the plaintiff is seeking damages, jointly, severally and/or vicariously for compensatory and punitive damages, as well as attorney’s fees, costs and interest, in excess of $50,000 in this matter.
The plaintiff is represented by Steven D. Janel in Morrisville.
Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas case 180404875
From the Pennsylvania Record: Reach Courts Reporter Nicholas Malfitano at nickpennrecord@gmail.com