West Deer is seeking bids to demolish its municipal building, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that’s the building’s fate.
Although the township posted documents to secure bids for demolition and asbestos abatement for the municipal building at 109 E. Union Road, manager Dan Mator said the measures are preliminary.
“In order to know how much a demolition (or) abatement would cost, we need to secure bids,” Mator said. “The board can then make an educated decision.
“We assume the building will be demolished, but we have to take it one step at a time.”
The township is in the process of building a new municipal complex near the original structure on East Union Road, near Deer Lakes High School. The new building will replace the existing office.
“The new municipal building is — and has been — ahead of schedule and under budget,” Mator said. “The completion date is estimated to be Oct. 23.”
The original building opened in 1952 as a public works garage. Officials said township staff and operations have outgrown the building. New construction was necessary because the cost to renovate or expand the original building was prohibitive.
Designs for the new building include about 8,500 square feet for the police department, about 4,000 square feet for administration and 4,250 square feet for the board and community room.
Work on the new municipal building will not increase taxes. Construction is being paid, in part, through two state grants: a $1.5 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant awarded in 2021 and a $1 million Local Share Account grant from 2023. The balance will come from a $7.5 million bond issue and the township’s capital reserve fund.
Because possible demolition plans are still preliminary, there is no timeline in place, and there are no plans for the property if it is demolished, Mator said.
If the board moves ahead with demolition, costs would be budgeted for 2025, he said.
“There is a process to everything we do, and the board and staff always look at ‘the big picture’ and how it benefits the residents,” Mator said.
