Vacant Brownsville building partially collapses, causing road closure
A long-vacant building began crumbling in Brownsville’s downtown area around noon Sunday, leading to a road closure.
The building at 39 Market Street was owned by the redevelopment authority, said Mayor Ross Swords, and officials planned an emergency meeting for Monday evening to discuss demolition plans and assess the damage at neighboring businesses. The building shares a wall with the former Eckerd Pharmacy, which was also damaged, he said. Officials will discuss during the meeting whether any other buildings should also be prioritized for demolition.
Swords said they worked with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to install a detour and signage for the new traffic pattern. Traffic will be rerouted using Inner County Bridge and Lane Bane Bridge. Local traffic can continue to access the downtown area through Brown Street and its gravel lot, Shady Avenue, Charles Street/Bridge Street and Bank Street.