Shaler commissioners approve bid to demolish former Jeffery Primary building

Shaler Board of Commissioners on Sept. 13 unanimously approved the awarding of a contract to the Aliquippa-based R. Unis Demolition to tear down the former Jeffery Primary School building.

Unis Development came in with a bid of $242,000 to demolish the building.

Jeffery, which closed prior to the 2018-19 school year, was purchased by the township for $120,000 in hopes to use the existing building as either a recreation center or a combination recreation center and the township’s public works department.

A town hall meeting was held at the Cherry City Fire Hall earlier this year to generate input from Shaler residents on what they felt would be the best use of the site.

The building is located on Wetzel Road adjacent to Kiwanis Park, and township officials feel the site will still be beneficial. However, the existing building, which is 31,500 square feet, could not be renovated for future use.

“Every wall is a bearing wall,” said township manager Tim Rogers. “The architect strongly recommended that this building is not serviceable.”

The bearing walls in the building held up the roof, and the cost to bring in steel to shore up the building so walls could be removed and the building could be remodeled was too prohibitive for the remodel to make sense.

Demolition is slated to begin after the Oct. 15 Trunk or Treat at Kiwani’s Park, according to Judy Kording, Shaler’s assistant manager and finance and administration director.

Kording also said that there aren’t any plans for the property now and more community meetings will be scheduled on the matter.