Demolition of collapsed Washington building will be slow process
A sky light window is shown being removed Tuesday during demolotion on the collapsed buliding at 15 N. Main St. in Washington.
A sky light window is shown being removed Tuesday during demolotion on the collapsed buliding at 15 N. Main Street in Washington.
The demolition of a partially collapsed Washington building has commenced, but it’s going to be a slow process.
“We’re going to be here a while,” said Washington Fire Chief Linn Brookman Tuesday as he watched Allegheny Crane Rental workers unload a bucket of debris. By afternoon, only one dumpster had been filled.
The contractor will handle the first phase of demolition – to get the unstable building down to a safe level – while city officials work to secure funding to complete the job.
“It’s going to be a long process,” Mayor Scott Putnam said. “Our solicitor is in contact with the building owner’s insurance. We’ve had meetings with the Redevelopment Authority (of Washington County), county commissioners, (State Rep.) Brandon Neuman’s office and (Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency). In my opinion, we’ll find the funding, but we’ve got to get this building down safely.”
The rear of the structure at 15 N. Main St., also called the “Montgomery Building,” caved in just before 9 a.m. July 12, trapping resident Megan Angelone for more than nine hours.
The city secured an emergency demolition order from Washington County Court the day of the collapse, but work has been difficult because of the proximity of two adjacent properties, 3 N. Main St., site of the former Brothers Pizza, and 19 N. Main St., the former Big Room nightclub.
Putnam said once the first phase of the project is complete, officials will see if they can open North Main Street from Beau to Chestnut streets.
Because some of the cost will likely be funded by Community Development Block Grant funds, distributed by the Redevelopment Authority of Washington County, there are guidelines that include a bid process.
“Once we get comfortable it’s not going to fall down, phase one will stop, and, hopefully, we’ll be able to open Main Street and actually go out to bid on demolition,” Putnam said. “We’re making it through this unfortunate situation and getting some things in place so nothing like this happens in the future.”