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Klotz handed 13 tickets as he walks out of James Street hearing

By By JOLEEN FERRIS

Story Created: Mar 2, 2010 at 2:08 PM EST

Story Updated: Mar 2, 2010 at 2:08 PM EST

UTICA, N.Y. (WKTV) - The owner of a fire-damaged building where four people died had a surprise waiting for him outside Utica City Court on Tuesday.

Timothy Klotz was in Utica City Court to provide written proof of his intention to either rehab 102 James Street or tear it down.

However, neither of those two things happened Tuesday. Instead, Klotz requested a hearing, during which Judge Ralph Eannace will decide the fate of the building.

Klotz has said he wants to wait to tear the building down for two reasons - he doesn't have the insurance money yet to do so, and he thinks there could be evidence in there that he needs for a lawsuit he may file against the city of Utica.

City Attorney Joan Harris says she can't imagine Klotz saying anything in court that will convince her that the building can be saved.

"Our engineers said back in the fall the building had to be demolished," Harris said. "So, I can only imagine what his report would be now, at this point five or six months later."

Timothy Klotz walked out of Utica City Court Tuesday and into City Fire Marshall Raymond Beck, who proceeded to hand him 13 tickets regarding other properties he owns in the city.

That hearing to determine 102 James Street's fate is two weeks from Tuesday.

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