Published: December 04, 2008 11:40 pm      

Demolition of garage under way

Johnstown officials say they have enough cash on hand to fund demolition of the dilapidated Washington Street parking garage.

As Earthmovers Unlimited Inc. began tearing into the garage Thursday, City Manager Curt Davis said the job’s $72,219 price tag will be paid with money available in this year’s budget.

That’s partly due to the increasing pace of earned-income tax collections in the past few months, Davis said.

“That’s really helped us,” he said.

The emergency demolition project, which became necessary when portions of the garage’s second and third floors collapsed last week, is expected to last about a month.

Davis said officials still are hoping that insurance proceeds could help cover the project’s cost. But that’s not a given, and more evaluations are needed.

“We’re waiting,” he said. “That’s probably going to take a couple weeks.”

In the meantime, Davis sought to reassure those who have concerns about the Main Street East parking garage, which is only a decade younger than the Washington Street facility.

Drivers have for years complained about leak problems at Main Street East, which houses an estimated 350 vehicles.

“People put tarps up, by themselves, to protect their cars,” Councilwoman Ann Wilson said Thursday.

The Main Street East garage also made headlines last year when CamTran officials, who were renovating their bus terminal in that facility, complained about potential rust damage.

Davis acknowledged that the city has undertaken no renovations since that time, while also saying some concrete and leakage issues likely will be addressed in 2009.

“Obviously, it needs some maintenance,” he said.

He added that an examination of the garage recently was performed by Pittsburgh-based Carl Walker Construction – the same firm that in 2004 helped produce a report that detailed deterioration at the Washington Street garage.

Davis said the company will be issuing a report but already has assured him that the Main Street East garage, while in need of repair, is structurally sound.

“We’re going to have to go in and probably rehab that,” Davis said. “That’s why I had those guys come in.”