SPOTSWOOD–The Borough Council approved a resolution authorizing the advertisement for bids to demolish the vacant, boarded up house on Main Street.
On Jan. 6, Spotswood council members approved a resolution containing the borough’s bill list to purchase the vacant property at 474 Main St. for $382,671. Mayor Edward Seely said the house on the property is condemned, abandoned and covered in vegetation. It sits next to a PNC Bank across from the Spotswood Funeral Home.
The council approved the resolution authorizing Borough Clerk Patricia DeStefano to advertise for bids for the demolition of the property on June 8 during the council meeting via video conference.
“The borough will be going out to bid for the demolition of 474 Main St. soon. The company preparing the bid packet is Centerstate Engineering and will be advertising for bids sometime during July,” DeStefano said.
On March 2, the council informed residents about the borough potential plans to turn the unoccupied property into a new firehouse. Council President Larry Kraemer said at the March 2 meeting that the borough is looking at building a new firehouse on the property.
“As far as I am concerned it should be a firehouse. The old one is just not usable for what we need anymore. It’s old. It’s been around since 1960. It’s time to replace it,” Kraemer said.
Councilman Jose Riveria said once the council makes a commitment to build a new firehouse, then it can start seeking grant funding to pay for the construction and design costs. Kraemer agreed with turning the vacant property into a new firehouse.
Councilman Ted Ricci said personally he would rather see a new building the borough’s fire department and Emergency Medical Services could share if the property is big enough to have a few ambulances and fire trucks in it.
As of June, the borough had not announced its official plans for the property.
For more information, visit www.spotswoodboro.com/borough-council.
Contact Vashti Harris at vharris@newspapermediagroup.com.
