Schuylkill County Gets $2M in Demolition Grant Money

The former Porter Township High School is one property that’s targeted with some of the $2 million in demolition grant money Schuylkill County received Friday.

After it’s demolished, it’s likely to become the site of a new fire company or a park, according to information from State Sen. Dave Argall, speaking on behalf of county government officials.

Schuylkill County Gets $2 Million Demolition Grant

Argall and county government officials were in Porter Township to announce the receipt of those $2 million in grant money from the Pennsylvania Dept. of Community and Economic Development.

That is just one site where the largess will be spent. Commissioners said Friday that properties in the following Schuylkill County communities are being eyed for further use of that $2 million:

• Palo Alto
• Port Carbon
• Orwigsburg
• Saint Clair

Demolition of dilapidated structures is one of the more expensive parts of reclaiming blighted areas across Schuylkill County.

“I believe that our demolition program is one of the best in Pennsylvania,” Argall says. “Our commissioners, along with (County Administrator) Gary Bender and his staff, have worked diligently with municipalities on past demolition grants to stretch their limited resources as much as possible and we are grateful for all of their hard work.”

Argall adds that these grants are typically hard to come by.

“The competition is great for this new funding,” he says in a statement released Friday. “We are hopeful that these dollars will be utilized by communities across the county, large and small, for more than 80 different demolition sites which are now being identified by county and local officials.”

Photo submitted by State Sen. Dave Argall

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