Extension sought for Knights building in Tower City
Published: February 4, 2010
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share thisTOWER CITY - The new owner of the Knights of Pythias building, Richard Blickstein of TC Developers, has until Feb. 8 to come up with a plan of action in regards to the structure.
Tower City Borough Council held a special meeting Jan. 18 to discuss the situation with Blickstein. Council approved a motion to have Blickstein’s engineer/ and contractor available at the next council meeting, and to have a plan in place to either make the building structurally sound or tear it down.
Tower City Borough Council members last spring signed an agreement to sell the old Knights of Pythias building to Blickstein.
Ben Scott of the Northern Dauphin Revitalization Project attended the January 11 council meeting to request the extension on Blickstein’s behalf. Scott has been working with Blickstein since March when he presented a petition containing 200 signatures requesting the borough sell the KofP property to Blickstein for a grocery store project. According to Scott, a 2007 survey indicated a grocery store was the most important development for the downtown area. In addition to the purchase of the KofP building, Blickstein’s project also called for the purchase of the adjacent Carroll’s Furniture store. That building would be converted into “The Grand Grocery Store” and some business offices, while the KofP building would be demolished and the property would be used for parking. A budget of $550,000 to $575,000 was planned which included money for the demolition of the KofP building.
Earlier in that March meeting, the council had received quotes for the demolition. The lowest, $44,314, however, was more than the current Schuylkill County demolition funding could support in 2009.
Scott now informed the council that Blickstein’s efforts to obtain funding has not panned out, but he is still interested in completing the project. The initial budget has been reduced, said Scott, to $250,000 and Blickstein just needs more time. According to Scott, Blickstein now proposes to renovate the KofP building and house the grocery store there. He still wants to purchase the furniture store said Scott, but, “(Blickstein) requests more time instead of taking action.” According to Scott, Blickstein has a contractor who has said the building is salvageable, and it would be more work to demolish it.
“It’ll be down in the next 30 days,” said Mayor Dale Deiter. “The wall in the back is bowed.” Council president Bruce Schneck agreed. If there’s a heavy snow the roof will fall in, said Schneck.
Scott admitted he had not been in the building.
Paul Ruth cautioned Scott not to go in the building. “When we decided to sell, it was sell or the next week we were tearing it down. Now it’s worse than a year ago.” Ruth suggested that tearing the building down to the first floor would at least make the building safer, since, said Ruth, “If it goes, it’ll take the buildings on both sides.”
Bob Shuey agreed. “The building is condemned. The thought of using it is so ridiculous, it’s not even funny.”
In other matters, council received the names of elected officers of the Tower City Fire Company No. 1. The list includes: David Wolfe, president; Ross E. Baker, vice president; secretary, Alicia Nunemacher; and treasurer, Jackie Forney, Jr. Ross E. Baker was elected fire chief, while Michael Nunemacher was elected assistant and Adam Baker, second assistant. Mayor Deiter will install the officers at a later date.
Secretary Irene Dubbs noted the ambulance association had received a grant of $5,264 from the State Fire Commission, while the fire company received one in the amount of $9,689.
Ruth reported the police had logged in 115.7 hours for December bringing the total hours worked for the year to 1,957.2 hours. “It’s close to where we want to be,” said Ruth.
The Roads Committee report included a commendation from Schneck noting Shuey and road crew worker Shayne Kessler had worked quickly getting the borough’s two trucks repaired and back in service. Shuey noted that curb painting was delayed because of the cold weather, but would resume when the temperature warmed, while Dubbs reported the required permit to do repairs to the large hole at the western end of the borough at the Porter Township line had not been received.
In other business, council was informed:
• Police activity for December included the investigation of 14 complaints and the issuance of 6 traffic warnings. The police also provided 4 EMS assists and 1 assist to the Hegins police department.
• Dubbs is in the process of completing a Social Security “Ticket to Work” application in the hopes of recouping some of the salary paid to one of its road crew workers. The instructions and application Dubbs noted total 96 pages.
