Receivership Turns Around Second Primrose St. Property

Haverhill continues to employ court-ordered receivership to turn around abandoned properties.

Mayor James J. Fiorentini is touting the latest rehabilitation accomplishment, a triple-decker at 30-32 Primrose St., as an example.

“We took this property, owned by a bank, long abandoned, taken over by squatters and vagrants. We had a receiver appointed, and fixed up the property,” Fiorentini said in his Minute with the Mayor address. He elaborated in a released statement.

“The dwelling was an eyesore along busy Primrose Street that was repeatedly broken into by squatters and was previously the site of numerous police actions to combat illicit activity.” He said broken windows, collapsed ceilings and smashed wallboard were all replaced; broken plumbing and electricity repaired; and illegal dumping and trash removed.

Meanwhile, Fiorentini said the city is working “to keep every neighborhood looking nice.”

“All together, four properties were placed into receivership. One property was actually demolished, and numerous other properties were fixed up, either by court order, or because the owners got the message and complied. We know there’s more to do, and we intend to do it,” he said.

During the latest rehab project, the city received legal assistance in Housing Court from Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Distressed Properties Identification and Revitalization (DPIR) Program. The property was cited and eventually turned over to a private receiver. Joseph Levis of Levis and Company, North Andover, used his own funds to secure, remediate and rehabilitate the building.

The city’s Vacant Property Manager Pedro Soto, the Health and Inspectional Services and Community Development Departments all participated in this project.

“This is another successful outcome from the city’s vacant and abandoned properties program,” said Fiorentini. “This project has greatly upgraded the neighborhood, increased property values and improved public safety in the neighborhood. I thank Attorney General Coakley and her staff for assisting the city with this project.”