Demolition of ‘rotting’ structures OK’d in Westmoreland County

By RICH CHOLODOFSKY
TribLive

Sixteen more dilapidated properties across Westmoreland County will be demolished as part of a decade-long project to eradicate the properties from local communities.

Commissioners on Thursday allocated up to $326,000 in funds generated through a $15 fee added to deed and mortgage filings in the county.

That money will pay for the demolition of properties in East Huntingdon, East Vandergrift, Jeannette, Ligonier Township, Mt. Pleasant Township, Penn Township, Monessen, Sewickley, South Huntingdon, Sutersville, West Newton and Youngwood.

“We want to continue blight remediation throughout the county. We cannot grow this county if we have property that is rotting,” Commissioner Sean Kertes said.

Commissioners established the blight removal program in 2016, and over the past decade, 74 properties have been demolished, said Westmoreland County Redevelopment Authority Executive Director Brian Lawrence.

The properties targeted for demolition are expected to be razed over the next nine months.

As of mid-July, $526,000 was available for demolitions, Lawrence said. Another six properties could be added to the demolition list this year, he said.

The demolition fund pays to raze properties throughout the entire county.

The county since 2022 has operated a second removal program funded through federal COVID-relief funds. Commissioners originally allocated $10.4 million, nearly 10% of the county’s American Rescue Plan funding, for the project, which carried a goal to demolish or rehabilitate potentially 500 structures in Arnold, Greensburg, Jeannette, Monessen, New Kensington, Penn Borough and Vandergrift.