Wilkes-Barre site with decade of back taxes again removed from auction

Oct. 21--A 56,600-square-foot Wilkes-Barre property with delinquent real estate taxes dating back more than a decade was pulled from next week's Luzerne County tax auction, continuing a pattern of sale delays.

Owned by several members of the Rockman family, the Oregon Street property carries $275,564 in unpaid taxes and penalties accrued since 2005, county records show.

Properties are supposed to be listed for auction if taxes are two years past due unless the owners are complying with repayment plans, a judge grants more time or the property is involved in an active bankruptcy. In this case, the property was kept out of past sales due to two bankruptcies, a court action attempting to block a sale and two repayment plans that were not honored, according to county officials.

Another removal from the August auction was granted in July primarily because Howard Rockman, one of the owners, said he did not receive notice of a hearing in which he could have raised objections.

Records indicated a woman had accepted a certified notice intended for him at his apartment building in Fresh Meadows, New York, but Rockman said he did not know the woman or receive it.

In preparation for an Oct. 26 auction, county tax-claim operator Northeast Revenue Service LLC authorized another certified mail notice to Rockman at the address he verified was his during the July court proceeding, which included the apartment number, said Northeast Revenue attorney Dyan E. Dinstel.

However, Dinstel said her office can't proceed because it has not received a signed certified mail receipt indicating the communication had been accepted. If the recipient is not home at the time of delivery, the postal service leaves a notice instructing the recipient to claim the mailing at his local post office, she said.

Under state law, auction notification to out-of-state owners is conducted through certified mail instead of in-person delivery by sheriff deputies, Dinstel said.

Northeast Revenue must head to court again to explain the unsuccessful effort to reach Rockman through certified mail and seek permission to allow Rockman to be notified of the April 26 auction through a published notice in the Luzerne Legal Register and at least one newspaper, Dinstel said.

Contacted by phone Friday, Rockman said he did not receive the latest auction notification from the county.

Rockman said he is entitled to the same due process as all other property owners and emphasized he is in continued discussions with a potential buyer of the property.

He reiterated concerns raised by his estranged brother Jeffrey, a local attorney, about several thefts and vandalism at the property and a city requirement for costly fire sprinkler upgrades and other work that ultimately led to its vacancy.

The brick building was primarily used for storage of bakery equipment and had employed four, the brothers said. The building previously housed Nicholson Steam Trap Inc., a manufacturing firm that moved operations to another state in 1994.

Other properties

The sale of seven properties owned by Joseph S. Hyduk also were removed from the Oct. 26 auction due to unsuccessful sale notification, Dinstel said.

A former investment broker, Hyduk is serving a five-year federal prison sentence on charges he bilked nearly $1 million from his clients, with a scheduled release in 2020, records show.

Dinstel said her office received confirmation that Hyduk was notified of the sale of 11 other properties, which will remain on next week's auction roster. However, Northeast Revenue must request fresh notices of the other seven and list them in the April auction, she said, unsure why only some of the notifications were confirmed.

All 18 properties are vacant lots on Hollywood Boulevard in Hazle Township assessed at $1,000 each. With the exception of one 2.78-acre parcel, the rest are under an acre, county records show.

Taxes on all properties date to 2012, records show.

Also in next week's auction is a 0.07-acre lot at 510 S. Franklin St. in Wilkes-Barre that previously housed the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, which was demolished in 2004 due to mold and structural issues, records show.

The property carries $5,585 in delinquent real estate taxes from 2011 through 2015. While the specifics were unclear in county records, the property was deemed taxable at some point. The county assessment appeals board granted tax exempt status for 2016, but it was not retroactive.

The county assessor's office is reviewing the matter, but it's unclear if any forgiveness of delinquent taxes will be recommended.

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