Tyrone Borough Code Enforcement Officer James Metzgar released his April report last night at borough council’s May work session at the municipal building, which updated some of the ongoing issues with vacant buildings within the borough.
Metzgar informed council that he received notice from S&A Homes, Inc. that the company has received a low bid for the demolition of the former Lincoln School building on the 1300 block of Lincoln Avenue.
No details were given, but in an email sent to Metzgar from Cory Lovrak, S&A’s representative for the Lincoln School site, Lovrak stated, “Upon completion of the necessary approvals from the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and our acquisition of a demolition permit, the contractor is expected to mobilize quickly.”
He added, “If all goes well, we are hoping to have the project completed in the next two to three months.”
Lovrak began proceeding with DEP yesterday, and plans to update Metzgar every Friday until S&A Homes is fully mobilized on the site.
Metzgar said that there is a 10 day notification period for the permits with DEP and for the borough permits as well. He expects S&A to act in a timely fashion in completion of the razing of Lincoln School.
Another building downtown that Metzgar and the borough have been in the process of resolving property maintenance violations is the corner building on Pennsylvania Avenue and Tenth Street, known as the old Garman building, owned by Bill Loner.
The property maintenance violations are located on the structure at its 978 to 980 Pennsylvania Avenue and 1219 Pennsylvania Avenue location. Part of the building is open to the weather elements.
Metzgar has been in contact with Loner on a weekly basis, regarding the repair and replacement of the structural walls in question at 978 to 980 Pennsylvania Avenue. Loner has secured several contracting bids and is tentatively awaiting to contact the neighboring owner, Paolo D’Ottavio, to contemplate sharing the costs of repair/replacement of the shared common party wall.
If a resolve does not happen, Metzgar thinks Loner’s option will be to raze the structure.
Loner expressed concern to Metzgar that repairing, replacing, or razing the building could affect the structural stability of the adjacent building at the shared common party wall.
D’Ottavio’s attorney, Daniel Ratchford, told Metzgar at the end of April that he disagrees that the exterior brick wall on the south side of the building is not considered a shared party wall.
Metzgar has contacted CET Structural Engineer, Ken Grubb, Solicitor Mike Emerick, Ratchford, and Loner, and scheduled an interior and exterior site inspection of the building on May 12.
“We’re going to get the structural engineer involved and get a report,” said Metzgar. “The buildings been open to all kinds of weather elements for almost two year. If a gust of wind would come through that east side wall, it could collapse like a deck of cards.”
Other Code Enforcement Reports
– The fire-stricken 1302 Pennsylvania Avenue building that most recently housed D’Ottavio Italian House had a structural site inspection performed by Fanale White & Associates structural engineers. Francesco D’Ottavio’s architect, Bill Muriceak, is working with D’Ottavio on the possibility of expansion of the existing building and re-opening the restaurant. A written report concerning the possible structural fire damage to the truss system will be given to the borough soon. If all goes well, D’Ottavio will have to request a variance for specific parking requirements in the Town Center Commercial District pursuant of the Tyrone Borough Zoning Ordinance.
– The 704 to 708 Park Avenue apartment building that was condemned for occupancy by the borough and displaced its residents for structural damage and other property maintenance code violations, has now been brought up to code and occupancy has been restored. The borough completed a site inspection of the work on the structure and found it to comply.
– Thirty-one permits were issued during the month of April resulting in a job cost of $103,451 and permit fee revenue for the borough in the amount of $2,296.
