In Danville, Pennsylvania Mayor Ed Coleman has rejected a church’s request for permission to demolish a historic downtown building. Officials from St. Joseph’s Church wanted to demolish the building known as the Boyd House, which is the former Elks building, in order to create a parking lot. The building has been vacant for a decade, and contains asbestos. The matter was voted on by the Borough Council, but the vote was tied, forcing the mayor to cast the tie-breaking vote.

The Rev. Steven Fauser, of St. Joseph’s, said that despite the fact that they could have moved, they decided to stay in the area because they feel strongly about the community. “We’ve been a role in Danville’s past, and we’re looking to the future,” he said.

Asbestos is found throughout the interior of the Boyd House building, and would need to be dealt with. Asbestos exposure can be life-threatening. Those exposed to the material may develop mesothelioma later in life. The exterior is also in poor shape. “I think there’s salvation for the Boyd House,” said Diane Zamboni, another member of the local historical review board. “There are homes restored that are probably worse. I’d hate to see us lose that chance. We’ve lost too much already.” The historical board members are concerned because many of the borough’s historic buildings already have been lost.

Other people in the area are also split on the issue. Local resident Betsy Finn, spoke before the board, and argued that the house should be condemned. However, attorney George Wagner supports the idea of saving the structure from demolition, and hopes it can be used in a way that could boost the local economy.

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.