DETROIT – The city of Detroit cracked down on the owner of the Penobscot building after photos emerged showing dangerous and unsanitary conditions inside the skyscraper.
Last year, Help Me Hank exposed massive elevator problems inside the building. Images from the inside taken this year show some of the 47 floors are not only abandoned -- they’re a complete mess. There’s exposed wire, mold and water dripping down from the ceiling.
Detroit issued $3,300 worth of tickets to the building’s owner this week. The city said the tickets were for multiple issues, including unsafe and unsanitary conditions. Additionally, the building does not have a certificate of compliance.
The city released a statement:
"We have been in discussions with the owner of the Penobscot building to develop a consent agreement that would include a work plan and timeline for addressing the violations we have found.
“Yesterday, we issued a number of tickets totaling $3300 for issues such as not having a Certificate of Compliance and unsafe or unsanitary conditions.”
Inside the Penobscot Building in Detroit.
Earlier this month, a fire inside an elevator shaft caused evacuations. Though there were no injuries, the smell of smoke lingers inside the Penobscot Building.
The building is owned by the same man who made news when he purchased the Silverdome for about $580,00 more than a decade ago. The Canadian-based property management company bought the Penobscot Building in 2012.