Donora gets offer to sell 2 stained-glass windows at vacant church

By KRISTIE LINDEN
Assistant Editor
klinden@yourmvi.com
Donora Council members wonder if the stained-glass windows of a church the borough owns are valuable or not.
The long-vacant church, which sits at the intersection of Fifth Street and Thompson Avenue, has been owned by the borough for some time.
The church was the former home of the First United Methodist Church of Donora, which closed its doors after its final service June 29, 2003, on its 100th anniversary.
At last week’s council meeting, street foreman Dean Fronzaglio said someone reached out to ask if they could remove two of the former church’s stained-glass windows for $500. Fronzaglio said the windows in question were 9×13-feet.
Council President Cindy Brice said she wants to know how much the windows are worth before agreeing to sell them. She’d like to find someone who can appraise them before moving forward.
Solicitor Steve Toprani said he and Councilman Fred Berestecky walked through the church recently and given the condition of the building, they’re concerned about removing anything right now.
Toprani said water is pouring in from one of the walls and he’s worried removing a large window will destabilize the wall.
Fronzaglio said the person who is interested now came to look at the windows last year for the same purpose but ultimately said the stained-glass wasn’t worth messing with the building. But now he’s returned with renewed interest.

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