August 2006
Building Collapse

Neighbor Ruth Richardson says she hopes something good will come of the roof collapse early Tuesday at the vacant Antmart building, 816 Farren St. In Portage. 
John Tanish/THE TRIBUNE-DEMOCRAT / 

Published: August 16, 2006 11:37 pm 

Despite collapse, company still eyes building

By KATHY MELLOTT
The Tribune-Democrat

PORTAGE — Residents living around the Antmart building on Farren Street were frustrated Wednesday as their long-term fears of a partial collapse were realized a day earlier.

But the outlook may have gotten brighter for a nonprofit group that has been eyeing the historic building for possible rehabilitation into housing units.

“I feel really bad for the neighbors, but maybe this is a blessing in disguise,” said Lauren Lazzari, a local representative for Investar Redevelopment of Worchester, Mass. The company has been working with the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Authority for a year for money to rehab the structure.

The portion of the large building that collapsed Tuesday was the oldest section and carried the highest price to fix, Lazzari said.

“It was a shock, but we are still interested if all of the pieces fall in place,” Lazzari said.

Also known as the Century Ribbon Mill, the structure at 816 Farren St. has become a 2-year-old bone of contention between neighbors tired of dealing with the debris and Borough Council, whose hands are tied by ownership issues.

For reasons unknown, a front quarter of the building came crashing down with roofing and bricks falling inside the vacant structure and outside on the sidewalk, borough Manager Bob Koban said Wednesday.

Emergency management officials closed part of Farren Street.

“It’s something we’re concerned about. But I understand they are getting proposals to clean it up. The building will be secured and a structural engineer will be in to evaluate the situation,” Koban said.

Ruth Richardson lives one house away and said the collapse was frightening.

“What a rude awakening,” she said of the 1:50 a.m. collapse. “It sounded almost like an explosion. We heard glass blowing out, that was the windows.”

Richardson said the crash occurred just before heavy rains started.

A metal fence and a truck cap belonging to adjacent property owners Ken and Joyce Keith were destroyed.

The cleanup is the responsibility of the Allegheny Ridge Corp., a federally funded nonprofit based in Hollidaysburg. Executive Director Jane Sheffield could not be reached Wednesday for comment. 

For years the building belonged to the now-dormant Mainline Heritage Association of Portage, which earlier this year transferred the deed to Sheffield’s organization.

Money from Allegheny Ridge had funded a new roof on the left side of the building, the side which remains standing and has the greatest potential to be reworked.

“Maybe something good will come of it yet,” Richardson said.