Owners of Pittsburgh Mills found guilty of more than 300 citations

The owners of the Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills mall must pay Frazer Township millions of dollars in fines after a district magistrate ruled against them on Thursday.

The ownership of the mall found out that they are not only going to have to fix their pothole problem, but they'll have to pay some hefty fines because of it. But the district magistrate also fined them for several alleged offenses that could put human lives at risk. 

Potholes scar the Frazer Township properties' parking lots. Ray Lavery of Springdale said driving at the Mills is "like running through a minefield."   

On July 17, Namdar Realty Group pleaded guilty to 36 citation violations and was fined close to $1.8 million. On Thursday, District Magistrate Michael Girardi ruled the property owners guilty on 364 more separate citations on other maintenance issues dealing with more potholes so bad they could prevent emergency vehicles from getting to certain parts of the facility and doors in the mall so corroded they are rusted shut, potentially preventing people from escaping a fire or other emergency. 

"That don't surprise me at all. Sometimes these doors are stuck," said Lavery. 

In addition to potholes and rusty doors, the company was found guilty on shoddy walkways and cement outside the mall. 

The fines exceed $9 million. Namdar's legal team is appealing the judges' ruling from July.