Property Neglect Costs Mall Owner $1.8M in Pennsylvania, Maine Case Still Pending

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Ten months after the city of Bangor, Maine, filed two lawsuits against the owner of its local shopping center, the same company has been ordered to pay a substantial fine in Pennsylvania over similar property maintenance violations.

Frazer Township, located in a suburb of Pittsburgh, issued roughly 400 citations in April and May against Namdar Realty Group for problems at the Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills. The violations included damaged parking areas, overgrown grass, and doors that were not functioning, according to local news reports.

In July, a lawyer representing Namdar pleaded guilty to 36 of the citations. A district magistrate ordered the company to pay $1.8 million in fines. Another hearing is set for late August to address more violations connected to potholes and deteriorating road conditions.

While the Pennsylvania case advanced quickly, the situation in Bangor is progressing much more slowly. The two lawsuits filed there are still pending, and in July, a separate case was brought in California accusing Namdar of maintaining a nuisance property. The difference in pace between these cases shows how municipalities across the country are trying to compel the company to address ongoing maintenance issues.

Namdar Realty Group’s website states it owns 372 properties across 37 states. Many have faced significant problems, including a defaulted loan in Connecticut, fenced-off sinkholes in Pennsylvania, and rodent infestations in a California shopping center food court.

Frazer Township officials welcomed the fine but declined to provide further details as some citations remain unresolved. The Office of the District Attorney of Allegheny County, where Frazer Township is located, has also filed a criminal public nuisance charge against the limited liability company that owns the Pittsburgh Mills property. Officials confirmed that some of the cited violations overlap with the allegations in the criminal case. A jury trial is set for February.

In Bangor, no fines have been issued yet, but in April a judge ruled Namdar had committed multiple city code violations. Earlier in February, the city requested at least $2 million in fines and fees.

Repairs at the Bangor Mall have recently started. City spokesperson David Warren confirmed that potholes along the private road surrounding the mall have been patched ahead of planned paving. Work is also underway to repair a broken sewer main near the former Books-A-Million store, which was damaged in August 2024 when a sinkhole formed around a stormwater pipe, causing sewage to leak into nearby retention ponds.

Warren said leaking skylights have either been fixed or replaced, though the mall’s main sign, missing several letters, remains unrepaired.

The final court hearing between Bangor and Namdar Realty Group is scheduled for September 22. The company has not commented on the ongoing legal matters.