By LOIS THOMSON

Renovation of a set of row houses on Park Avenue continues to be a thorn in Ben Avon's side. A couple of residents at Tuesday's council meeting expressed their concern and displeasure over the fact that the area has been torn up for a long period of time, but that little actual work has been done.

Victoria Haynes said her main concern is safety.

"I see children playing on the streets and torn up sidewalks and no precautions are taken. I don't know what council can do, but I think the site should be contained and closed."

She added, "I watched them demolish the Convention Center and rebuild it, and it didn't take this long."

Ron Lantzy of Sylvan Walk said most of the kids in the area are under the age of 13, and they ride their bikes around the houses. He said piles of trash are evident, and recalled residents' basements being flooded with mud last year when heavy rains combined with the dirt that is laying around.

The problem has been going on for nearly three years. In May 2007, Jeff Garbinski, who owns the property, approached council with plans to renovate five buildings, including 19 apartments and one duplex, and turn them into 19 affordable housing units. However, since that time, very little has been done to the property. Council members say they are frustrated because they have been trying to get Garbinski to move along with the project, with little success. Complaints in the past have included open or broken windows and doors, with residents fearful of unauthorized people getting inside the buildings.

Borough solicitor Charles Means pointed out that the district justice found Garbinski guilty of various violations, but Garbinski appealed the verdict. Another court appearance is scheduled for July, Means said.

"I think we've done everything we can do legally," said Lloyd Corder, council president. Council member Sue Weiss said that Garbinski was issued a permit March 30, and he has six months from that date to begin work, which he has done. He has five years from that date to complete work, she said.

Weiss suggested that council could approach Garbinski and ask for a plan of when he'll have various parts of the job finished. "This guy owns the property, but he is dragging (the work) out for as long as he can." But she added that so far, everything he has done "has been approved by the appropriate people. We've had folks on it as much as we can; we've done what we're legally allowed. We can just continue to nag."