POTTSVILLE -- Orange netting and barriers are up around the base of the Mahantongo Street Parking Garage in Pottsville.
According to the city, the building was found to be structurally unsound. As a matter of public safety, the garage is closed indefinitely.
"We had a meeting and we just decided it was a safety issue and we needed to shut it down and get the cars out of there," said Pottsville's mayor, James Muldowney.
Mayor Muldowney says a construction crew doing renovation work at the garage discovered a far more serious problem Friday afternoon.
After removing some crumbling concrete, they found the building`s structural reinforcement had deteriorated.
"When they chipped out the concrete they exposed some of the reinforcing and the reinforcing appeared deteriorated," said John Levkulic, Pottsville's Parking Authority Engineer. "Even though it was embedded in the concrete, it was showing signs of deterioration."
Levkulic says deterioration of the reinforcement was then found in several parts of the building, the decision was made to close it pending further examination.
According to the city there were no vehicles being parked on the upper decks due to the ongoing construction work. The city believes that 50 percent of the people who park here were already having to park somewhere else.
For the remaining vehicles, the city was able to reach some owners by phone.
The city says the garage will remain closed while engineers can evaluate the building.
During that time people can park at the 84 Lumber Lot off Route 61 just a few blocks away.