Demolition is not progress
Waynesburg University has applied for a demolition permit to destroy Peoples Bank Building, Waynesburg’s skyscraper. Issuance of the permit is imminent.
I write to plead with Waynesburg Borough Council and the leadership of Waynesburg University to stop this madness and begin engaging in open, cooperative town-and-gown relations with the wider business community to develop a plan for adaptive reuse of Peoples Bank. Tearing down this structurally sound, modern steel frame building makes no sense, especially when the University has not been required to reveal its plans for the site. The only hint is in the 2008 Design Plan that they developed, which shows an open festival place on the lot. Is this the best and highest use of this key piece of land in the middle of the town? Will it contribute to downtown economic development? Will it add to the tax base?
Furthermore, demolition is the opposite of the green building principles now practiced by so many universities and businesses who understand that the greenest building is the one already built.
Four years ago, I went through this building with, among others, architect Ken Kulak and structural engineer Frank Avbel. They assessed the building to be structurally sound. There’s solid concrete between each floor of the steel frame and the exterior bricks and mortar are in good condition. The front fa莽ade is the famous Hummelstown brownstone from Dauphin County, Pa., the same stone used throughout the brownstone districts of New York and other East Coast cities.
Inside, there is marble practically everywhere, including the grand banking room on the first floor, all flights of the staircase (with ornamental iron railing) and restrooms on each floor. Also remaining are the two Otis Elevators that old timers like me remember. There’s a handsome decorative tile floor in the entrance foyer. All of this will bite the dust when the wrecking ball strikes. For what, another vacant lot in the middle of town?
First Federal, First National and Margaret Bell Miller School were built a few years after Peoples Bank by three different, prestigious New York City architectural firms. Although I have not yet discovered the architect of Peoples Bank, I’m sure it was a good one, probably from New York. Furthermore, Peoples Bank is a contributing building in the Waynesburg District of the National Register of Historic Sites, and as such should be protected.
Waynesburg University has implied that the building is unsafe because there were some broken windows on the upper floors. But a few broken windows or falling bricks do not make a building structurally deficient. The borough could have easily solved this problem by requiring the owner to board the windows and maintain the roof.
It’s been claimed that no one is interested in rehabbing this building. That’s simply not true. I know two reputable developers who were quite interested in this building two years ago but were told by a borough official, “Hands off. The university wants it.” This is in addition to the plans proposed last fall by John McNay and Marty Padezanin. Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation continues to be interested as well.
Quite frankly, Peoples Bank has not been given a fair chance at adaptive reuse. Because the borough has no Master Development Plan and no Planning Commission, citizens have not been informed nor given a chance to express their opinions about downtown developments (such as this demolition) that will directly impact their pocketbooks and quality of life.
Until a Master Plan and Planning Commission are created, the borough will continue to be unduly influenced by the university, which does have a plan. Sadly, their plan appears to be to take over the downtown. Then what will they do with it because the tax base will be gone?
There should be no such thing as a “throw away building,” particularly not a building of the caliber of Peoples Bank. With an existing dormitory next door, it makes perfect sense for Waynesburg University to convert this building to housing for seniors or graduate students. Or, they could enter into a public-private partnership to explore other options for adaptive re-use such as housing or offices for the growing energy industry. There’s a severe housing shortage in Waynesburg and Greene County that this building could begin to relieve. Any of these options would be a boost to downtown development and build the tax base.
It is in the best interest of both the town of Waynesburg and Waynesburg University to save this building.
Mary Beth Pastorius,
Waynesburg