CARBONDALE, Pa. — Piece by piece, heavy equipment is tearing down the former Hotel Chellino along River Street in Carbondale. Mayor Justin Taylor says this demolition has been a long time coming. It's part of a larger project the city is working on with PennDOT to replace a bridge on Sixth Avenue that's been closed since 2006.
"I want to get the eyesore, the blight of that building down that's been vacant for the better part of 20 years as well," Mayor Taylor said.
Demolition work began last week.
The Hotel Chellino was built in 1913 and served many purposes over the years. Carbondale Historical Society Director Robert Powell says it was the place to be back in the day, and unfortunately, like many other older buildings in the city, it too is coming down.
"It was part of the fabric of downtown Carbondale for a long time," Powell said. "Now, regrettably, most of them are all gone."
While it is a piece of history that is coming down, it is a sign of progress to get the bridge that's been closed for decades reopened.
"I think people really have made their driving habits to not include that," the mayor added.
Demolition of the building is expected to take about five weeks.
Powell says it's a testament to the builders because the structure has withstood Mother Nature and the test of time.
"That building is especially remarkable because there it is, built right on the edge of the Lackawanna River, and it has endured 100 years of raging floods in the Lackawanna River, and there it stands."
Mayor Taylor says once the bridge project is complete, they hope to spruce up the area where the hotel was and provide access to the river for people to enjoy.
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