Fallas Paredes given 30 days to rehabilitate historic Popular Building

John Edwards, 46, has been living in the historic Popular building for 13 years.

According to our news partners with El Paso Inc, city officials called conditions in the building a hazard to public health.

After visiting the building, it was clear why owners were ordered to clean it up.

No security officer or locked doors kept our ABC 7 news crew from going into the building to visit Edwards.

His apartment is spotless. You couldn’t say that for the rest of the building.

Once inside, our cameras captured feces on the floor, as well as a large hole on the wall and ceiling, both filled with mold.

“I’m sure that there’s a mold problem here. I’m positive of that because of the water damage,” Edwards said.

El Paso Inc. reported that between January and May, city inspectors found exposed wires, mold, dead animals and waste.

ABC 7 cameras recorded hand-sized spiders, also pigeon droppings surrounding a hole on a small banister.

The Popular building was bought by J&M properties l.p., which owns the California-based Fallas Paredes discount stores chain.

Fallas was given 30 days to rehabilitate the building. An attorney representing Fallas did not want to comment.

Besides Edwards, one other tenant and the building manager live in the building.

“We had a period not too long ago where there were a lot of kids walking up the fire escape, like bashing in doors screwing around with things.” Edwards said about the lax security.

Edwards says he ran those kids off.

The 46-year-old says he would recommend people move into the building, but warned they would have to shell out a lot of money to fix up the apartment they move into.

Previous stories on Downtown buildings to be inspected by the city for alleged code violations: Kvia.com