Façade problems at Reynoldsville Borough Building discussed at council meeting

Reynoldsville Borough Council members reviewed an engineering report on the problems with the façade at the borough building at their May 18 meeting. The problems prompted the closing of the front entrance to the building on May 6.

Jim Venture of engineering firm PVE, LLC, cited a number of deficiencies in the report, including water infiltration and “defective mortar joints/popping motor sticks, cracked or spalled stone veneer, corroding steel girder and plate assembly, corrosion of metal stone anchors, and defective sealant along roof coping joints.” Additional problems, such as cracking, were noted at lower levels of the building. Venture also identified façade defects in two other buildings in the downtown, the building housing Main Street Pizza and building housing the Elks Club.

In the recommendation section, Venture recommended that loose areas of the veneer be removed immediately and protected from the weather until a permanent repair can be introduced. The report also recommended further inspection of the “backup material and steel beam” to assess their condition and design a comprehensive repair plan.

Council decided to get contractor estimates on the repairs so it could get an idea on what the costs would be. Council Member Ralph August asked if it would be a good idea to board the windows in the front to avoid the possibility of debris breaking the window. No decision on that was made at the meeting.

The library, police station, and tax collector’s office are still in the building and can be accessed from the back entrance on Willow Alley. The borough office has been moved to the Reynoldsville Water and Sewer Authority Building.

When asked how long the front would be closed, Council President William Cebulskie said it could be several months.

“It’s not going to happen as fast as we’d like, I can promise you” he responded.