Girard Ave. demolition begins day after West Mahanoy awards bid
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SENTINEL PHOTO - Crews work to demolish 129-131 Girard Avenue in Shenandoah on July 18, 2018.
By Kaylee Lindenmuth
SHENANDOAH – On Monday, Shenandoah borough council awarded a demolition bid for 131 Girard Avenue. Tuesday evening, West Mahanoy Township did the same for 129 Girard Avenue.
Wednesday morning, crews began work to demolish the dilapidated double-block home, which neighbors expressed to the two municipalities fears of its collapse.
The two homes are long the Shenandoah/West Mahanoy Township line, and were the subject of debate between the municipalities regarding who was responsible.
“The property was purchased by the borough for demolition. Although it’s physically located in West Mahanoy Township, it’s included on the Borough of Shenandoah tax map… therefore it is the borough’s responsibility to address,” said Shenandoah council president Leo Pietkiewicz at Monday’s meeting, regarding 131.
West Mahanoy Township received two bids Tuesday for the emergency demolition of the property, $11,000 from Mr. Z and $6,750 from Kass Contracting, and accepted the lowest bid unanimously.
Shenandoah Borough, on Monday, accepted the lowest bid of $6,000 from Joe Najunas on the condition he accept full payment at the conclusion of the project, rather than in stages as he proposed, otherwise the borough would go with Kass Contracting’s bid of $6,750.
According to neighbors, demolition on the properties began Wednesday morning, and by 2:00pm, much of the building’s front had been reduced to rubble.
Girard Avenue was closed to traffic.
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