Jim Thorpe stairs remain closed as borough, property owners hash out ownership

Two Jim Thorpe Borough property owners are hopeful they can work out an agreement with the municipality to reopen a set of steps leading from High Street to West Broadway.

Borough officials previously maintained the steps, which have long been used by the public as a way to access the downtown area, until a slip-and-fall insurance claim prompted them to have a survey done.

“What was quite surprising to us is we found out we don’t own the steps,” council President Greg Strubinger said. “What many thought was a public thoroughfare, as it turns out, is private property and we can’t give permission for people to use them.”

According to the borough’s survey, the steps belong to the owners of The Parsonage Bed & Breakfast, 61 W. Broadway, and the Three Towers Apartments, 49 W. Broadway.

“We’re willing to draw up an agreement to create an easement for council to take control of the steps,” said Michael Rivkin, co-owner of the Parsonage. “We are not able to insure them as a public right of way, but the borough does have that option. There is a clearly defined pattern of maintenance by the borough from the time it paid for and constructed them in 1885. As recently as 2015, it received federal grant money to do work on the upper portion of the steps.”

Councilman Kurt Jackson, a former High Street resident, told residents he is well aware of the link it provides to downtown Jim Thorpe. Without it, pedestrians are forced to take a longer walking route, or battle for a parking spot in an already cramped business district.

“Nobody is insensitive that this is causing an issue to people who have used those steps for many years,” Jackson said. “However, the owners’ best option at this point is to contact a real estate attorney and create a mechanism that would give cover all liability issues.”

With the borough’s insurance company now fully aware the municipality doesn’t own the steps, however, even an easement may not prove to be enough.

“Even if we get an easement, I’m guessing the insurance company may want to come out and do an inspection,” Strubinger said. “There is work that needs to be done there and it is possible we could still have insurability issues.”

Residents, including West Broadway’s Helen Van Pelt, packed Jim Thorpe’s monthly council meeting with many hoping for a resolution or a plan of action for the steps.

Van Pelt bought three houses on High Street almost a decade ago as rental properties. One of the biggest selling factors at the time was the public steps leading to downtown businesses.

“I have one tenant on disability and it can be a hardship to get downtown otherwise,” she said. “Parking is scarce. The steps were an easy solution. We pay taxes on every home we own and deserve to have the infrastructure to get around.

“Closing the steps is a slap in the face for everyone who lives on the west side of town.”