Skyline Apartments at 753 James Street , Syracuse.N. Scott Trimble | strimble@syracuse.com

Syracuse, N.Y. — A state Supreme Court judge on Friday ordered former NFL player Tim Green and his son, Troy Green, to increase security at the Skyline Apartments in Syracuse.

The judge ordered Green National to maintain the security staffing required under a nuisance abatement order filed by the city after a 93-year-old woman was murdered in the James Street building last year.

The Greens were supposed to increase security at the building, have quarterly meetings with the building’s tenants’ association, increase the security of doors into the building and add stairwell surveillance cameras.

Court records filed by Syracuse officials show that security remains spotty, the meetings haven’t happened and the Greens have delayed putting in cameras.

“The only outcome we seek is safe, quality housing for the residents of Skyline Apartments and the community,” Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh said in a news release Friday. “The City has been fighting this battle for years, and we welcome the Court’s assistance in holding Green National accountable to its responsibilities as a landlord. We will continue to use every authority available and work with partners at the local, state and federal level to protect Skyline residents.”

The nuisance abatement order would allow the city to file criminal charges against the Greens or take over ownership of the property if conditions didn’t improve. On Tuesday, Walsh said that’s still on table. But, he said his primary aim remains to force the Greens to improve conditions at the property.

The City’s petition followed an announcement last Thursday by state Attorney General Letitia James that the State will retain a $250,000 payment for failing to fully comply with all the requirements of an agreement with the Office of the Attorney General.

Read more: NY AG to keep Greens’ $250K after failure to fix Skyline Apartments

Notwithstanding the correction by Green National of more than 150 housing violations at its properties within the 60-day compliance period, the AG documented several continuing violations.

Troy Green, who owns the property with former NFL player Tim Green, his father, said in January that they have a buyer in place for the building. Four months later, the building has still not been sold.

Walsh expressed skepticism Tuesday about the possible buyer, saying “we’ll believe it when we see it.”

Green said he could not comment about the court filing by the city because of a contract with the potential buyer.

“Still feel pretty good about it,” Green said of the sale.

Syracuse police have documented eight times in a month in which the front desk at Skyline Apartments had fewer than two security guards, the number it is required to have under the nuisance abatement agreement.

The first complaints came from tenants, who said the guards working for Alpha Security — the company contracted by the Greens — regularly left their posts.

Emails between city and Green officials show the tenants notified city officials of the issues as early as April 11.

“For my own safety and because of the security concerns present at Skyline, I do not leave my apartment as often,” tenant Larry Fuller later testified.

The city notified Green National of the issue again on April 13 and gave the company one week to remedy it along with its failure to implement stairwell cameras and begin quarterly meetings with the tenants association.

That appears to have not happened.

On April 20, the city formally notified Green National it was violating its nuisance abatement agreement.

Police officers have filed six reports since April 20 detailing issues with security at Skyline Apartments.

In one case, the key fob system had stopped working and a woman who had taken her dog out for a walk at about 4 a.m. was unable to get back in because no security guard was working the front door. Other times, the back door to the building had been found by officers to be propped open.

In another case, an officer talked to a security guard who said they were supposed to have three security guards, but they “are lucky to get one,” a police report filed on May 7 showed.

Sean Frey, a representative for Green National, told the city he was unaware of the staffing problem until the city notified him on April 13 in an affidavit filed by the city.

“It is our understanding that security guards that were supposed to be on shift either quit abruptly, or simply were no call or no show,” Frey said in the affidavit dated April 19.

Court records show that guards also testified that they were untrained in how to deal with people who could be volatile and were often left alone. One guard, Tyus Clayton quit working the security job with Alpha after one week at Skyline.

Two guards testified to witnessing drug use and sales throughout the building. Both also testified to being threatened.

“I ultimately quit my employment working security at Skyline because I felt that my life was at risk working there,” Clayton said.

More on Syracuse.com about the Skyline Apartments and Green-owned properties

Security nightmare at Greens’ Skyline Apartments getting worse, court records reveal

City Hall to judge: Greens breaking nuisance abatement terms, need to add security at Skyline

Not just the Skyline: While tenants suffer across Syracuse, the Greens have a bigger plan

Inside Tim Green’s Skyline Apartments: Murder, drugs and filth. Tenants, cops say enough is enough

Connie Tuori, 93, survived Afghanistan, Antarctica and African safari, only to be killed in her Syracuse apartment

Family IDs 93-year-old woman murdered in Skyline Apartments

Accused Skyline killer tortured 93-year-old Connie Tuori in ‘especially cruel and wanton manner,’ prosecutors say

Woman pleads guilty to brutal killing of Connie Tuori, escapes mandatory life sentence

Elderly murder victim’s family on Skyline squalor: ‘Did they get away with this because who owns it?’

Walsh says he’s exploring legal action against Skyline owners: ‘It’s public nuisance No. 1′

Staff writer James McClendon covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? Reach him at 914-204-2815 or jmcclendon@syracuse.com.

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