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Abortionist Angling for Blighted Property
by Ken Krayeske
Hartford, CT
D r. Steven C. Brigham, vilified by both sides of Roe v. Wade, has parked his cloud in Hartford.
He has purchased tax liens on the historic Wright and Barnes houses at 140 Retreat Avenue with the apparent intention of foreclosing, renovating and opening a medical office.
Any clinic Dr. Brigham might open must receive a license, said state Department of Public Health spokesman William Gerrish. As of now, Dr. Brigham is not a licensed medical practitioner in Connecticut, according to the DPH.
Dr. Brigham owns or is partner in more than 10 medical clinics, many under the name American Women's Services, all in four states Ð Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia.
New York state medical authorities revoked his license in 1994 because of two bungled abortions. Pennsylvania suspended his license in 1992 and in New Jersey, he may only perform first trimester abortions.
Dr. Brigham's affair with Hartford dates back to 1999, when he paid $85,096.60 for the liens on 140 Retreat Avenue from 1993 to 1997, according to Gustavo Espinoza of Hartford's Development Services.
The city sold Dr. Brigham the liens at 70 percent of their actual value, Espinoza said.
"On the initial request that came in when those liens were purchased, the reuse was to explore the possibility of opening his own medical office and potentially other offices," Espinoza said.
Yet the mysterious Nevets, Inc. owns and neglects the buildings. Nevets bought the property from the bankruptcy proceedings of the Hartford Architecture Conservancy. HAC invested in the homes more than 12 years ago, hoping to preserve the structures and profit simultaneously. The strategy failed.
The bankruptcy sale to Nevets went through on August 5, 2003 for $433,794.
"Intuitively, it doesn't make sense," Espinoza said, that someone would pay that much.
Essex Street resident Margaret Sanford first alerted me to the absentee Nevets' address at 149 Washington Ave. Apt F, East Rutherford, NJ. She complained to the city about the property.
"140 Retreat is an eyesore," Sanford said. "It is drawing drug dealers and derelicts. Homeless people sleep there and the cyclone fence is falling down."
Fire scarred part of the edifice, and some time ago, Sanford got the city to board up the windows. She said it has been vacant at least 12 years.
Today, grass grows stalks waist high in the front yard. Litter - a bicycle frame, fast food cups; a red, white and blue "Perez for Mayor" placard - dots the lawn. Around back, garbage bags and broken glass decorate the parking lot.
The tax bill on the Wright and Barnes complex is as old as some of its litter, dating back to 1997, potentially rendering these classic Greek Revivals, built in 1851 and 1845, almost economically unfeasible renovations. Currently, the total delinquent tax bill on the property is $80,844. Nevets, Inc. is responsible for $13,881. The rest of the debt was incurred by the now defunct Hartford Architectural Conservancy.
Seemingly out of place in Hartford Hospital's backyard today, the Wrights and Barnes' had a row of 18 neighbors living in similar homes. A connector was built between the Wright and Barnes houses during a mid-80's renovation.
Espinoza contacted Dr. Brigham because Espinoza said he could not reach Nevets, and he wanted to enlist the cooperation of fiscally interested parties before adding maintenance liens to the title.
During their conversation Friday, June 24, Dr. Brigham inquired about buying additional tax liens.
"I said ÎWhatever you do, put it in writing.' I haven't heard anything on it since," Espinoza said.
Dr. Brigham claims no connection to Nevets, according to Espinoza.
"I said 'What is your connection to Nevets?' He said he didn't have any," Espinoza said.
Nor does 411 have a phone number for Nevets at the East Rutherford, NJ location. The New Jersey Department of Treasury has no record for either a foreign or local corporation listed under "Nevets, Inc."
It is illegal for a company to give an address in New Jersey and not be registered with New Jersey's Division of Commercial Records.
Nevets Inc.'s Connecticut agent is Corporation Service Company, located at 50 Weston Street in Hartford, Espinoza said, but he has had no luck there either.
Even the lawyer retained by Dr. Brigham and Nevets, Inc. in a recent bankruptcy appeal can't find Nevets.
Attorney James Graham of Pepe and Hazard represented Dr. Brigham and Nevets, Inc. when mortgage agent Marc Glass appealed the trustee sale to Nevets. Glass dropped his case May 27, 2005.
"I was hired late in the process for a specific purpose, and I had virtually no contact with Nevets," Graham said. "Dr. Brigham and Nevets were pulling in the same direction. I've tried to contact Nevets on a number of occasions and I've not been successful."
Dr. Brigham was unavailable for comment. Espinoza, too, has not reached Brigham since that June 24 conversation. When Espinoza called the number he used previously, he heard this:
"Hi, you have reached a voicemail which is not being checked. If you wish to reach me, please page me." The voicemail offers no pager number.
In correspondence, Dr. Brigham has given two addresses to the city, one as Professional Medical Services, PC, One Alpha Ave, Voorhees, NJ and one as LLC at 15 East Putnam Ave. #1, Greenwich, CT, which houses Peach Street Real Estate, according to PeopleforLife.com.
Oddly enough, the recently closed American Women's Services clinic in Erie, PA was on Peach Street.
Mayor Eddie Perez's office was unaware of Dr. Brigham's past. Mayoral aide Susan McMullen said she would alert Mayor Perez and Corporation Counsel.
"It is certainly disturbing information," McMullen said. "It's certainly something I'm going to look into. I'll let corporation counsel know. I'm not familiar enough with tax liens, but corporation counsel has a fair amount of discretion as to who it can sell to."
Mayor Perez has no stated position on abortion.
Espinoza, as well, shuddered at Dr. Brigham's history.
"This is not a person Hartford wants to do business with," Espinoza said.
7/5/05
