Demolition of Belvedere Hotel begins; Orr Avenue in Oklahoma Borough closed

Mary Ann Thomas | Monday, September 30, 2019 5:39 p.m.

Mary Ann Thomas | Tribune-Review

Lee Schumaker, code enforcement officer for Oklahoma Borough and the demolition project coordinator, stands at the Belvedere Hotel in early September.

After a postponement almost three weeks ago, the demolition of the charred remains of the Belvedere Hotel along Route 66 in Oklahoma Borough will begin Tuesday morning, according to an Oklahoma official.

Orr Avenue was closed Monday as preparation for the cleanup began.

The demolition is expected to take several weeks. The only road closure is Orr Avenue between Hancock Avenue and Route 66, which will be used as a staging area for the cleanup, according to Lee Schumaker, code enforcement officer for Oklahoma Borough and the project demolition coordinator.

Westmoreland County’s Redevelopment Authority is in charge of spearheading the cleanup with the assistance of the state Department of Environmental Protection, PennDOT and borough officials.

After a July 24 fire destroyed the 115-year-old building, Oklahoma Borough declared the site needed an emergency cleanup because of its proximity to Route 66 and the presence of asbestos. Westmoreland County came up with $75,000 for the demolition and cleanup, while Oklahoma pledged $10,000. The cleanup was expected to cost more, so officials sought bids from companies interested in doing the work.

Eveready Contracting LLC of Apollo was chosen for the project, according to Schumaker. McCutcheon Enterprises of Allegheny Township was picked initially because of its extensive experience in hazardous cleanups.