Demolition

By DAN KULIN / Staff Writer photo: KEVIN G. GILBERT / staff photographer Two days before a meeting to save the historic Hagerstown Roundhouse, wrecking crews began razing one of the largest buildings at the complex. It was a day Hagerstown roundhouse preservationists knew was coming, but they still weren't prepared. [cont. from front page ] On Tuesday morning heavy machines smashed into the south erecting shop, a 30,000-square-foot brick and steel building where steam, and later diesel, locomotives once were taken for extensive repairs.

HAGERSTOWN A Washington County wrecking contractor has filed a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against a Pennsylvania construction company and a Hagerstown concrete firm for breach of contract over the demolition of the former Wal-Mart on Wesel Boulevard. Allegany Wrecking Contractors, 16317 Broadfording Road, and Joel Merrbaugh, company owner and operator, filed the lawsuit Dec. 8 against eci Construction Group of Dillsburg, Pa. In addition to breach of contract, the lawsuit seeks damages for unjust enrichment, nonpayment for services, and interference with contractual relations and prospective business advantage from the Dillsburg firm.

A demolition permit for 14 of the 36 structures on the Hagerstown roundhouse property is expected to be issued today, but does not include the roundhouse, a city official said Tuesday. The most significant of the 14 structures is the turntable pit, said Bob Tracey, president of the Hagerstown Roundhouse Museum Inc. Losing the turntable pit would make it more costly and difficult, but not impossible, to turn the crescent-shaped, 25-stall roundhouse into a tourist attraction, Tracey said.

A demolition permit was issued Wednesday for the Johan Ludwig Kammerer house just hours before the Washington County Historic District Commission voted unanimously to nominate it for the National Register of Historic Places. [cont. from front page ] Washington County Administrator Rodney Shoop said, however, that the historic home would not be torn down anytime soon. The permit was issued Wednesday because there is no legal way to delay it, Shoop said. The property owner, the Hagerstown-Washington County Industrial Foundation Inc., known as CHIEF, applied for a demolition permit in December.

MERCERSBURG, Pa. -- A 275-year-old stone house has been given another two months. The MMP&W Fire Co. and supporters of saving the house agreed Thursday that they would continue to negotiate until at least Nov. 30, fire chief Dusty Stoner said Monday. The fire department purchased the so-called Smith House adjacent to its property. Upon learning of the ownership transfer, several residents contacted MMP&W to urge the fire department to refrain from demolishing the house. Community members George Nalley, Calvin Bricker, Terry Sirk and Tom Steiger went to MMP&W's board of directors meeting on Thursday to talk about possible solutions for the house, which they say served an important role when Mercersburg was established.

CASCADE - Barracks that were full during World War II and later used as administrative offices for the U.S. Army are seeing their final days. The old bowling alley and thrift store are gone, and the land has been regraded. Sections of the former movie theater's foundation still stand, but soon they will be removed and hauled to a dump. The actions at the former Fort Ritchie U.S. Army base are signs that progress is taking place, after eight years of sitting largely vacant and undeveloped.

Panel delays project demolition decision By KIMBERLY YAKOWSKI / Staff Writer A Hagerstown historic preservation panel Thursday held off making a decision whether to allow a developer to tear down three buildings in the city's historic district. Marc Silverman of Rockville, Md., was seeking a certificate of hardship, approval for demolition plans that the Preservation Design District Commission turned down last month. Silverman has proposed constructing a four-story office building on top of two underground parking levels in the first block of South Potomac Street.

Washington County will no longer give verbal OKs for demolitions, a practice that led to the razing of a 1770s-era building last week, the director of the Washington County permits and inspection department said Tuesday. [cont. from front page ] Paul Prodonovich, county permits and inspection department director, did not comment during a meeting with the Washington County Commissioners and the secretary of the Washington County Historical Society on Tuesday, but he said later in a telephone interview that verbal authorizations for demolition would no longer be permitted.

The right travel lane on the 100 block of West Washington Street has reopened to traffic, City of Hagerstown Communications Manager Mary King said Tuesday. On Friday, the right travel and parking lanes on the block closed so crews could begin demolishing the front wall of the building at 149 W. Washington St. The parking lane is still closed, however, and will remain closed until the wall is torn down, King said. There is still no timetable for how long the operation will take, she said.

East Antietam Street in Hagerstown between King Street and Cannon Avenue will be closed from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. weekdays from Wednesday, Aug. 10, through Wednesday, Aug. 17, according to the City of Hagerstown. The closure is part of the demolition of the former Washington County Hospital complex near the intersection of Antietam Street and Cannon Avenue. • On Friday, Aug. 12, traffic will be affected on four streets in the south end of Hagerstown to make room for participants in a 5K race, according to the City of Hagerstown.