City Moves to Demolish Fire-Damaged Bellefonte Avenue Structure
LOCK HAVEN – Nine months after a fire gutted a vacant Bellefonte Avenue commercial structure, the City of Lock Haven has announced it is moving ahead with demolition plans, but with a qualifier.
City manager Rich Marcinkevage Wednesday released a statement which said that Dave Mayes, the present owner of the property at 37-41 Bellefonte Avenue missed an Aug. 31 deadline to submit plans for repairs to the former Heilig-Meyers furniture business. The city manager also revealed city receipt of a letter earlier this month from longtime city critic Steve Poorman. According to Marcinkevage, Poorman wrote that he holds a second mortgage on the site and is involved in a project to rehabilitate the property. The structure has remained partially unsecured since the fire Dec. 16 of last year. The fire also forced the closing of an adjacent alley which remains barricaded with fire debris still littered in the alley.
The city has delayed acting to demolish the structure. If it moves ahead with demolition the city would have to incur the costs of leveling the structure and place a lien on the property for the costs involved.
The city statement reads as follows:
“Regarding the former Heilig-Meyers building, 37-41 Bellefonte Avenue:
“The City is acquiring procedural advice from special legal counsel regarding the initiation of a Demolition Order for the fire damaged structure at this location. The City was informed by the owner of the parcel that he was developing plans for rehabilitation of a portion of the structure and was seeking quotes from contractors with regard to the proposed repairs. He agreed to a deadline of August 31, 2017 to submit a plan for rehabilitation as well as a time line for the project; however nothing was submitted to the City by the end of August.
“The City received a letter from Steve Poorman dated August 29, and postmarked September 5, 2017 indicating that he holds a second mortgage on the property in question and has agreed to fund a project for rehabilitation of the structure.
“Although the City would prefer the structure be salvaged, we feel the letter is non-committal in the sense that it does not include plans or a time schedule for the project. Therefore the City will proceed with the Demolition Order but has the option available to revise the order if a viable alternative is presented.”
At the time of the fire more than nine months ago, city fire chief Bob Neff called the building a total loss. Some 20 fire companies from three counties responded to the fire in subfreezing temperatures at 6:33 a.m. Friday, Dec. 16.
