If there are any vermin or felines hiding out in the old Fort Pitt Brewery in West Jeannette, they will soon have to find a new home.
Demolition of the crumbling, red brick buildings is set to get underway Tuesday, said Brian Lawrence, director of the Westmoreland County Redevelopment Authority and Land Bank.
An exterminator was hired to assess the site after reports from residents in the neighborhood about rodent infestation. The exterminator will bait traps, and information about protecting homes from infestations was sent to residents who previously asked for updates on the demolition project, Lawrence said.
“We’ll try to do what we can,” he said, adding there are no food sources at the site and he has not seen any vermin or felines.
Preparation work has been ongoing for months to get to demolition day since the land bank acquired the complex in a judicial sale almost two years ago. The buildings have been a headache for city officials for years.
GEMM Demolition of McKees Rocks was awarded the $335,000 contract. Work is expected to take about six months.
Afterward, the land will be prepared for redevelopment.
The project is being paid for through a $10.4 million pot of American Rescue Plan funding set aside by Westmoreland County for blight remediation in seven communities, including Jeannette.
City Councilwoman Michelle Langdon said last week she was glad to hear an exterminator was evaluating the site.
“I hope this gives the neighbors a feeling of confidence,” she said.
There also was concern from neighbors about the possibility of feral cats. Lawrence said he is getting in touch with a local rescue. The exterminator will monitor the site for about six months, Lawrence said. The cost was about $500.
Residents and businesses near the demolition site should expect noise and vibrations, none of which are expected to be damaging.
The West Jeannette site previously was home to Victor Brewing Co., which organized in 1907. Fort Pitt Brewing bought the property in 1941, according to news accounts. In the mid-1950s, Papercraft Corp. expanded its gift wrap manufacturing operations there before the plant went dormant in the mid-1970s.
It later was purchased by Laurel Mould, which produced plastic food containers. The property was sold at sheriff’s sale and later purchased by Rufus Corp.
