Abandoned M&T Quart Store demolition imminent
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - Equipment is in place at 200-202 South Main Street, where a collapsing building is set to be demolished, seen on Jan. 26, 2024.
SHENANDOAH – The fences are up, dumpsters are placed, and heavy equipment is in place. The collapsing M&T Quart Store is finally coming down.
A longtime eyesore downtown at Main and Cherry Street, the building has been showing signs of collapse for well over a year, which prompted a change in the Heritage Day parade route.
Equipment from Kass Contracting was set up at the site at 200-202 South Main Street this week, with fences securing the site from passersby.
Borough Manager Tony Sajone told the Sentinel that Kass was awarded the emergency demolition contract at a cost of $30,000. He said demolition will start within the next few days.
Borough council approved the emergency demolition at their December meeting at the suggestion of Mark Pronio, Code Enforcement Officer. At that time, he said he’d seen bystanders sitting on the porch of the property who, if the building were to collapse, would be seriously injured, if not killed.
He said Solicitor Shane Hobbs advised the borough that, following code enforcement actions, an emergency demolition permit should be issued and the building be taken down.
“It is posted properly. We’ve done all the protocols as far as a dangerous property, blighted property, we’re good to go with whatever we wish to do with that property,” Pronio said at the January meeting. “We don’t need to own it at this point.”
The borough will be on the hook for demolition costs as they were unable to acquire the property before demolition after a tax sale bid fell through.
The building housed the M&T Quart Store for several years and has been abandoned since that store closed.
It is owned by Edward Spielberger and Glen Paterson, both deceased, and Heather Dehanis, of 9019 Thomas York Boulevard, San Antonio, Texas.
Pronio told the Sentinel Friday evening that the borough and its solicitor is processing a lien against Dehanis.
He said the property had been posted as a dangerous property and she had been sent several letters. Pursuant to borough ordinances, Pronio said they can recoup the cost of demolition, plus 10%.
“She will ultimately be required to reimburse the Borough or the Lien/Judgement will follow her indefinitely and will negatively affect her future financial transactions,” Pronio said. “Code Enforcement can, and when possible will, follow this same process on similar dangerous property issues to protect the public and fight the overwhelming blight in Shenandoah.”
Editor’s Note: This article has been edited to include additional information provided by code enforcement regarding additional ongoing enforcement actions.
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