Old Mayview Barn To Be Demolished

If you’re driving from along Mayview Road, take a close look at the large brick barn nearby.

You won’t be seeing it much longer.

Township commissioners are scheduled to vote Aug. 6 on a contract to demolish the barn, which once was part of a farm that served Mayview State Hospital. The barn represents the last surviving vestige of the barn.

The low bid of $79,899 is from Dom Folino Construction of Bethel Park. Upper St. Clair’s 2012 budget allots $150,000 toward the demolition project.

The topic was discussed during the commissioners’ information and general affairs meeting Monday, with Commissioner Russell Del Re expressing concerns about the price quoted in the bid. This time, though, it was a matter of perhaps the cost not being high enough.

“I find it very hard to comprehend that someone is going to tear that down for $79,000,” Del Re said. He requested a copy of the quote to take a closer look at the specifics.

Commissioner Robert Orchowski said he was present for the bid openings, and he also had concerns.

Scott Brilhart, township director of community development, said staff members “prequalified” potential vendors.

There were a number of vendors that didn’t make that cut,” he told Del Re. “We’re confident that the vendors that did make the cut will be qualified to do the work.”

One reason for some relatively low bids was that environmental testing at the barn site turned out “more positive than we might have been anticipating,” said Mark Mansfield, assistant township manager.

Demolition is expected to start in September, shortly after the outdoor pool a the community and recreation center closes.

The barn had been the subject of preservation efforts by Upper St. Clair Citizens for Land Stewardship, but commissioners voted in December to demolish the structure in the wake of multimillion-dollar estimates to restore it. In the meantime, demolition continues on buildings at the former state hospital to make way for an office park.

This story originally appeared on Upper St. Clair Patch