it is such BS that “religious institutions” don’t pay property taxes to support the cities they allegedly serve. guess no chance that’s ever going to change.

This place is more than “blighted.” See this story from 2001. I lived around the corner when the police searched for Kimberly Szumski’s body. Neighbors parked on the sidewalk in lawn chairs and watched the scene unfold:

http://articles.philly.com/2001-08-19/news/25297863_1_rowhouse-badly-decomposed-body-investigators

They absolutely should NOT be exempt from penalties related to the Doors and Windows Ordinance.  If they cannot take said responsibility on a property which is clearly non-essential to the operations of their religious organization (for which they pay a big fat $0 in taxes) then they should be subject to the same rules and penalties of any lay person.

It might not change.  That doesn’t mean things can’t be changed so that vacant properties owned by churches aren’t taxed.  Business endeavors of churches and universities are taxed so why not vacant buildings owned by them?

Thank you for disclosing the owner.  I live nearby and drive past this blight everyday on my way home from work…I am totally shocked that Mother Bethel, which maintains its own church in pristine condition, has let these properties deteriorate so badly!!!  The church needs to sell these buildings to someone who can responsibly restore and maintain them.

It is the same building. 

I also might suggest letting members of the church know that this is not acceptable and that it is being reported to 311.  Here are some email addresses taken from their website

Ms. Dolores Lyons, Director of Facilities and Operations; dolores.lyons@motherbethel.com
Webmaster: aaron.brooks@motherbethel.com

As the pastor of Mother Bethel, I wish Mr. Fox had reached out to our congregation before this submission was posted. I would have been happy to share with him an update on our progres toward rehab on the said property. For the past 3 years, we have been in search of financing to rehab the vacant property. However, these are new times in the world of finance. Anyone who has sought a loan in the last few years can testify that even with good credit and equity in the property, banks are reluctant to make loans (especially to churches, becuase of the fear that if the loan goes bad, they don’t want to foreclose on a religious institution). Recently, we have received a loan offer from a local bank. That offer is currently working its way through our internal process. If all goes well, construction will begin in the near future.– Rev. Mark Tyler.

No excuses, Pastor.  This is not about just the last three years.  Your church has owned this building for many years and it’s been in this condition for a very long time.  If your church could not afford to rehab the building, that’s certainly understandable, but you could have sold it to a private developer.  Instead, you chose to just let this building sit there and deteriorate.  How about saying sorry to the community?  You need to practice what you preach.  I’m not holding my breath waiting for the rehab to begin.  And even if you do rehab it, I have my doubts about the quality of the work that will done.

I am so sorry to hear you say that, Pastor, your neighbor offered to buy the corner blithe from you and you ask him to donate the parking lot to him. i don’t believe you have the intention to fix either building even though you have the money and volunteers to do it. One third of the spaces you rent out for parking at the church would pay for the “fix it up loan”. My question is why you won’t just sell it why? please answer.

You’ve got to be joking. I’ve personally gotten a dozen or so construction loans in the last 3 years, and so have many other rehabbers I know.

[...] fall, we told you about 540 and 542 Lombard St., two surprisingly blighted properties across the street from Starr Garden Park. At the time, we also mentioned that Mother Bethel AME, a large and historic congregation just to [...]

My name is Mikki , when i was a boy i use to play around there the building that has the windows covered was a fish store and the other was a store / drugstore, years later the fish store closed downe and became a apartment building. Some years later im not sure of the date but a body was found inside. My ancesters lived on Lombard street for over 100yrs across from Starr Garden playground i dont know why they were forced out what is now concidered historic homes, that some of my history in a nutshell, i hope this info was able to shedd some light on the history of the building.

[...] a year ago, we first brought 540 and 542 Lombard St. to your attention, two blighted properties owned by nearby Mother Bethel AME. In a neighborhood like Society Hill, [...]