NEW CASTLE —
Nearly 10 months in the making, the former Shad Hanna’s Restaurant on Butler Avenue has finally been demolished.
Demolition was completed within the past week.
The building was damaged by two fires in less than a year, the last of which occurred on Dec. 20, 2012.
Because of safety concerns, the city of New Castle had awarded an emergency contract to Bob’s Trucking of New Castle for $5,000.
However, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection suspended demolition to determine whether asbestos existed in the building. It was ultimately determined that asbestos was present.
When the local firm was unable to complete the demolition, the city advertised for bids from other companies to remove what remained on the site. City council members labeled the remaining rubble as an eyesore and an air quality issue.
Council awarded a demolition contract in August to Earthmovers Unlimited Inc. of Kylertown, Pa., for $48,743.
As with most demolitions, this one was paid for at taxpayers’ expense with the hope that someday the city will be reimbursed.
Anthony Cioffi, code enforcement director, said the city demolishes buildings either “to ensure safety of the neighborhood” or to remove blight. If owners fail to bring properties into compliance once notified by the city, he said, the buildings will be demolished and liens placed on the properties.
The city paid for the Shad Hanna’s demolition with funds from the demolition line item in the budget.
At the same meeting in August, council awarded a contract for $53,900 to Siegel Excavating LLC of Edinburg to demolish 14 houses that were damaged by fire or were dilapidated.
Part of the cost was covered with money from the demolition line item, with the rest coming from Community Development Block Grant funds.
In July, a fire gutted the former Black Whale building on Apple Way and damaged a structure that formerly housed Pat’s Cameras at the corner of Apple Way and East Washington Street. The city spent a total of $30,000 to demolish those buildings.
Council approved payment for the demolition from its contingency account and the demolition line item.
As a result, the demolition funds have been depleted for the year, said Mayor Anthony Mastrangelo. If there is any additional demolition this year, the city would have to look for money elsewhere in the budget, he said.
The mayor said the city has placed liens on the Shad Hanna’s property as well as the two downtown properties in an attempt to recover the costs.
“There’s a chance for us to get it (demolition costs) back,” solicitor Jason Medure said.
Anyone purchasing the property will have to clear the lien, he said, to have clear title.
Medure said the city places the liens “with the expectation that we are going to be reimbursed someday.”
Complicating the city’s efforts to recover costs on the Shad Hanna’s property is the fact that the owner filed for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 11 in 2009. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court has yet to make a determination in the case.
If property owners have insurance, then under state law the insurance company must release money to the city. Medure said the insurance money covers the cost of demolition and taxes, and whatever remains goes to the insured.
(Email: jmanna@ncnewsonline.com)
TOP STORIES
Related Photos
-
The site of the former Shad Hanna’s Restaurant on Butler Avenue before it was finally demolished. Erica Galvin
Discussion
Former Shad Hanna building finally demolished
- TOP STORIES
-
-
Are we ready? Crews prepare for nuclear accident
The chances of an accident occurring at the Beaver Valley Power Station are considered to be small. Nonetheless, FirstEnergy Corp., along with first responders and emergency management personnel, are continually preparing just in case.
-
Council approves bond issue refinancing
Taking advantage of low interest rates, New Castle City Council approved the refinancing of a bond issue last night. Refinancing of the 2004 bond issue is expected to save the city approximately $120,000, according to Joseph Muscatello, investment banker with Boenning and Scattergood of Pittsburgh.
-
Groundbreaking set for Penn National in Austintown
Penn National Gaming will break ground Thursday for its Hollywood Mahoning Valley Race Course.
The ceremony, at 1 p.m. will be at 700 N. Canfield-Niles Road in Austintown. -
Hearings in fatal crashes are postponed
A hearing for the woman accused of striking a police cruiser and killing a Shenango Township officer has been rescheduled. Kylee Gwen Barletto, 26, of 693 Hoover Road, will face a preliminary hearing at 1 p.m. June 6. It had been scheduled for Thursday morning.
-
Police arrest four in Union Township drug raid
Four people were arrested and drugs and a gun were confiscated Wednesday when police raided a house in Union Township. Union Township police, with the Lawrence County District Attorney’s Drug Task Force and New Castle police special response team and narcotics unit, served a sealed search warrant at 27 Spring St. just before 6:30 a.m.
-
Primary 2013: Clarification offered on local voting results
Rosemary Henderson won a Republican nomination for a four-year term on New Castle City Council in Tuesday’s primary.
-
Primary 2013: Former superintendent earns New Castle board nomination
Voters nominated four candidates for four-year terms in each of Lawrence County’s eight school districts yesterday. New Castle and Ellwood City had candidates running on one ballot only, but all others crossfiled, meaning they appeared on both Republican and Democratic ballots.
-
Primary 2013 Briefs: Voters stay home in droves
Less than one-fifth of Lawrence County’s eligible voters cast ballots in Tuesday’s primary. The Lawrence County Board of Elections reported that 9,291 — or 17.1 percent — of the 54,342 eligible voters turned out Tuesday.
-
Primary 2013: Former mayor wins city council nomination
New Castle City Council will have three new members next year as a result of Tuesday’s primary. Tim Fulkerson and Anthony J. Adamo won the two Democratic nominations for four-year terms.
-
Primary 2013: Township voters nominate supervisors, auditors, tax collectors
Voters selected their candidates for township offices in Lawrence County Tuesday. Voters in all 16 townships will elect one supervisor each to six-year terms.
- More TOP STORIES Headlines
-
