A lawsuit by the owner of a building in downtown Scranton claims television satellite dishes on the roof caused over $87,000 in damage from rainwater leaks into apartments.
Martini Grill LLC/570 Realty LLC, owner of the 414 Biden St. building, filed a lawsuit Oct. 21 in Lackawanna County Court against DirecTV and its parent firm, TPG Capital of El Segundo, California. DirecTV also has an office on Dickson Avenue in Scranton, the lawsuit says.
*
Martini Grill building on Spruce St. in Scranton on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
*
Martini Grill building on Spruce St. in Scranton on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Show Caption
1 of 2
Martini Grill building on Spruce St. in Scranton on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Expand
According to the lawsuit:
• The building contains a restaurant and four rental apartments.
• Before June 7, the defendants provided the residents of the apartments with satellite television services.
• Satellite dishes solely owned by DirecTV and placed on the roof were anchored with cinder or cinder-like blocks that were “susceptible to weather degradation causing the blocks to deteriorate.”
• The blocks had pieces or particles break loose over time and the debris clogged roof drains and caused leaks into the apartments, causing damage estimated at $87,235.
• Tenants also had to vacate apartments, resulting in ongoing lost rental income.
• The defendants were negligent in failing to inspect and monitor the blocks and warn the building owner about the unsafe condition; and the plaintiffs were not aware of the blocks.
The lawsuit, prepared by attorney Anthony Piazza Jr. of the Piazza Law Group of Dickson City, seeks over $50,000 in damages.
Efforts by The Times-Tribune were unsuccessful to reach DirecTV/TPG Capital about the lawsuit and its claims. The firms also did not yet formally respond to the suit in county court.