ORWIGSBURG - With the infusion of $200,000 in state funds to the borough, substantial work can be completed on the revitalization of Community Memorial Hall.
The funds are from the Greenways, Trails and Recreation Program of the Commonwealth Financing Authority. Money from the program comes from the Marcellus Legacy Fund.
The borough applied for the grant July 30.
"We are about 50 to 60 percent done presently," said Greg Stewart, president of the Orwigsburg Veterans Memorial Development Task Force, a group of individuals interested in the preservation of the structure, who assisted in the application. The task force formed in 2005 with the goal of bringing the building back to one of prominence.
The 8,100-square foot building at 300 Grove St. was dedicated July 16, 1950, in honor of all veterans.
The extra money will help them complete about 85 to 90 percent of the project. The building, which was closed in 2010 due to safety issues, reopened in February after improvements were made.
Borough Manager Mike Lonergan said the borough applied for $250,000 initially. A 20 percent match was required, something Stewart said the task force is paying.
"We're very pleased to get $200,000," Lonergan said.
A total of $1,465,000 is needed to complete the transformation of the building. So far, $1,139,500 has been raised.
The grant money will go for "exterior and structural improvements," Stewart said.
Some windows will be replaced, while others will be boarded up "because they're ancient and they're no longer energy efficient," Lonergan said.
Those being replaced will be fixed pane insulated windows, Stewart said.
Insulation and masonry improvements will be done to the outside of the building, he said. A new entry is also planned for the northwest side of the building. Also, the cupola from the original courthouse is scheduled to be installed in the hall. According to Merriam-Webster, a cupola is "a rounded roof or part of a roof; a small structure that is built on top of a roof."
The improvements will necessitate the use of funds in addition to the $200,000 grant, Stewart said.
Improvements to date
The building has come a long way since it was closed in 2010.
The building was stabilized and brick was removed; a geothermal HVAC system was installed in 2011; electric, bathroom and roof upgrades were made, with the electric and bathroom work being finished.
An area of the roof still leaks but a new standing seam metal roof is planned. The shingles will also be removed and insulation applied. Currently, there are asphalt shingles on the roof, which was replaced in the 1970s. Roof improvements will be paid from a $153,000 grant awarded in March from the state Department of Community and Economic Development
"You lose a lot of heat through your roof," Stewart said.
Work on the roof and the other exterior and structural improvements will start in April or May.
Stewart said work on the new roof should take a month to complete.
The final phase of the project involves land development, such as paving the blacktop and other outside improvements. The work is contingent on funding.
Funding
The undertaking could not have been achieved without the support of local, state, federal and individual help and fundraising efforts. The local and nonprofit total is $243,000, individual contributions amount to $77,000 and fundraising efforts have garnered $39,000. To date, a combined $780,500 in state and federal funds have gone toward the project.
"The people of the Orwigsburg area, through their private donations, have overwhelmingly embraced this project, which greatly helped the borough's grant application. This project is an excellent example of the private and public sector working together to improve an important community facility. I applaud the good work of the Orwigsburg Memorial Task Force and borough officials for their leadership on this issue," state Sen. David Argall, R-29, said in a press release.
Rep. Jerry Knowles, R-124, also approved of the effort.
"The Community Memorial Hall has served as a gathering place for residents in our area for generations, and I am pleased that this tradition will continue through the restoration of the facility. Through this grant, area residents will be able to enjoy community and recreational events for years to come," he said in a press release.
To contribute to the revitalization effort, call Orwigsburg borough hall at 570-366-3103 or visit www.orwigsburgmemorial.org.