L&I, Police Show Up at Post Brothers’ Goldtex VIP Party

It’s been a long, hard road for the Pestronk brothers’ (aka Post Brothers) development of the Goldtex site at 12th and Vine streets. There have been shoving matches, picket lines formed, slashed tires, and a host of other disturbances thanks to a labor dispute over the $38 million project.

But according to this invite that I just received, the Post brothers are ready to show off their latest apartment building. The accompanying email promises “Veuve Clicquot, catering from Ruth’s Chris Steak House, pearls, and plenty of other delightful surprises.”

And, perhaps, the Rat-Mobile?

Updated [12:40 p.m., 5/16/13]:

Pat Gillespie, business manager of the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council, which represents over 50,000 construction workers, sent the following comment via email:

The Pestronk brothers enjoy self-promotion at the expense of the truth. That clap-trap apartment building is nowhere near ready for occupancy, that’s why they’ve only been showing the model apartment under the cover of darkness, so potential renters won’t see the true, unfinished condition of the building. They’re nine months to a year from completion. This sham “Preview Party” is a desperate attempt to lure suckers into putting deposits down because the company is having major cash flow problems. The Pestronks aren’t what they appear to be and neither are these chintzy, half-finished apartments.

Mike Pestronk, CEO of Post Brothers Apartments, responds to Gillespie as follows: “Pat Gillespie has long since proven to be completely un-credible. No further response needed.”

Updated [12:50 p.m., 5/16/13]:

And now, Gillespie responds to Pestronk’s response to Gillespie: “My word is credible, unlike the Pestronks, who have repeatedly gone back on their word. And, for the record, ‘un-credible’ isn’t a word. No wonder these two dopes are losing their shirts. They don’t know the language and they don’t know how to build.”

Updated [10:00 p.m., 5/16/13]:

According to union spokesman Frank Keel, tonight’s VIP party did not go as planned. Here is an email he sent this evening:

PHILADELPHIA DEPARTMENT OF LICENSES & INSPECTIONS SHUTS DOWN POST BROS. PLANNED ROOFTOP “VIP PARTY” AT ITS GOLDTEX APARTMENT COMPLEX AT 12TH & VINE; POST BROS. CITED FOR HAVING NO CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY, NO FIRE ALARM, OTHER VIOLATIONS

PHILADELPHIA, PA. — Post Brothers LLC, the controversial, out-of-town development firm that has been at odds with the member unions of the Philadelphia Building Trades for nearly two years, had attempted to host a “VIP Party” tonight on the rooftop of its still-under-construction Goldtex Apartments site at 12th & Vine, the epicenter of union protests over Post Brother’s anti-union position and tactics. Then the Philadelphia Department of Licenses (L & I) showed up and shut it down.

L & I cited Post Brothers for havinf no Certificate of occupancy (required to allow persons into the building), having no fire alarm in place, and other violations. Far from being “ready to rent,” the Goldtex apartments are months away from completion. The Pestronk Brothers and their guests were forced to move the scaled-down party to the ground fllor courtyard. It continues tonight until 11 pm.

“The Pestronk brothers enjoy self-promotion at the expense of the truth,” said Building Trades Business Manager Pat Gillespie. “That clap-trap apartment building is nowhere near ready for occupancy, that’s why they’ve only been showing the model apartment under the cover of darkness, so potential renters won’t see the true, unfinished condition of the building. They’re nine months to a year from completion. Tonight’s sham ‘VIP Preview Party’ is a desperate attempt to lure suckers into putting deposits down because the company is having major cash flow problems. The Pestronks aren’t what they appear to be and neither are these chintzy, half-finished apartments.”

L & I officials and police officers remain on-site to ensure that the Pestronk brothers do not attempt to enter the building again.