HAZLETON -- Many people in Hazleton are unhappy about a shopping center in the city. They say it is an eyesore that needs to be fixed.
The Hazleton Code Enforcement Office has already issued nearly a dozen citations to that shopping center on Broad Street.
The owner was given some time to fix up to property but now will have to go to court to face these citations.
In January of 2016, the property manager told Newswatch 16 he was having a problem with vandalism to the property.
Now, shoppers say the shopping center is still in disrepair.
"I've seen this place go down big time. There's a lot of trash. The parking lot itself has a lot of potholes," said one shopper.
Overgrown weeds all across the property are just one of 10 citations filed against the property owner.
Customers have also complained about columns in front of the shopping center.
"The concrete is coming off the poles, and you'll see chips in the siding and all that," said Sharon Morrison of Hazleton.
Large amounts of trash can be found all over the property, including along the backside of it.
"I come often and I always see the same thing, the same trash, the same people doing the same violations. Always the same and nobody does anything," said Alberto Nunez of Hazleton.
Hazleton's code enforcement supervisor tells Newswatch 16 he told the property owner, M.J. Realty and Associates out of New Jersey, to have the property cleaned up by June 20.
The supervisor says the damage was not cleaned up and so now there are 10 citations pending against the owner and he will have to go to court to address them.
The owner could be fined $500 per violation.
Shoppers say they hope a resolution comes soon.
They want to see the shopping center in better shape.
A court date has not been set yet.
Newswatch 16 tried to reach out to the property owner and the property manager for comment today. No one returned our calls.