Bricks fell from the facade of the former Mennonite Publishing House building at 616 Walnut Ave., Scottdale, on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020. The borough closed the section of Walnut Avenue that fronts the vacant building as loose bricks could still fall from the structure. The borough also posted the building as unsafe for humance occupancy or use.
Dirk Kaufman | Tribune-Review
Bricks fell from the facade of the former Mennonite Publishing House building at 616 Walnut Ave., Scottdale, on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020. The borough closed the section of Walnut Avenue that fronts the vacant building as loose bricks could still fall from the structure. The borough also posted the building as unsafe for humance occupancy or use.
Dirk Kaufman | Tribune-Review
Bricks fell from the facade of the former Mennonite Publishing House building at 616 Walnut Ave., Scottdale, on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020. The borough closed the section of Walnut Avenue that fronts the vacant building as loose bricks could still fall from the structure. The borough also posted the building as unsafe for humance occupancy or use.
Dirk Kaufman | Tribune-Review
Bricks fell from the facade of the former Mennonite Publishing House building at 616 Walnut Ave., Scottdale, on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020. The borough closed the section of Walnut Avenue that fronts the vacant building as loose bricks could still fall from the structure. The borough also posted the building as unsafe for humance occupancy or use.
Dirk Kaufman | Tribune-Review
Bricks fell from the facade of the former Mennonite Publishing House building at 616 Walnut Ave., Scottdale, on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020. The borough closed the section of Walnut Avenue that fronts the vacant building as loose bricks could still fall from the structure. The borough also posted the building as unsafe for humance occupancy or use.
Falling bricks from the former Mennonite Publishing Co. building forced Scottdale officials this week to close a section of Walnut Avenue.
Yellow police tape, wooden barriers and traffic cones were set up to keep passersby off the block after bricks started flying around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, some bouncing into the yards of homes across the street, borough manager Angelo Pallone said. No damage was reported to homes or vehicles, he said.
“We’ve done what we can at this point. It’s been blocked off for safety,” said Pallone, noting that people who do not heed the warnings can be arrested.
West Penn Power is expected to move electrical lines to temporary poles across the street to make room for facade work.
Stuart Adams, pastor of Wellspring Church, which owns the building, plans to work with an engineer to scrape other loose bricks off the building. Adams will work with the borough engineer to address structural cracks and other portions of the building that require attention.
Wellspring Church bought the property in 2011 with hopes of utilizing all three floors and the basement of the old publishing house with a sanctuary, classrooms and meeting areas. But the facility sat vacant by 2016, borough officials said.
“Everything seemed to happen to everybody’s advantage,” Pallone said about the incident. “No one was hurt, there was no physical damage.”
Work is expected to be complete by March 7, Pallone said.
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