Demolition progress continues at Springdale site — but not at the boiler house

As structures at the former power plant in Springdale continue to be demolished, except the boiler house, some people might have noticed another structure being erected: a fence around the property on Porter Street.

“That fence that’s on Porter is a security fence when, eventually, the administration building and wall come down,” said Scott Reschly, vice president of operations for Charah Solutions.

Charah is the property owner of the former Cheswick Generating Station, which was decommissioned in 2022.

Reschly said Charah still is evaluating when the administration building and wall will come down. Currently, about three to four buildings at the site are in the process of being demolished.

“We’re continuing to do some of the other buildings that are conventional demolition,” he said.

Earlier this year, Springdale Council renewed the demolition permit for the site. Council members also approved a permit to install the fence along the Porter Street parking lot and front lawn. The borough’s planning commission recommended approval of both permits.

Not including the plant’s boiler house, Reschly said he would like to have all of the other structures at the site down by September.

The boiler house has remained untouched since mid-September, when 16 borough residents filed an injunction to block a planned implosion of the structure.

The boiler house was set to be imploded with explosives Sept. 22, but the injunction paused that from happening.

Through a monthslong trial, residents argued that the community suffered harm from a June 2 implosion of two towering smokestacks at the site, and they claimed the boiler house implosion would cause additional harm. Demolition contractors countered that by saying an implosion by explosives is the safest way to take down the structure.

In December, Allegheny County Judge John T. McVay Jr. ruled in favor of the residents. He set criteria, including state and county oversight and a public meeting on implosion plans, before he would consider dropping the injunction and allowing the demolition to proceed.

Demolition contractors appealed that decision to the state’s Superior Court, and the fate of the boiler house still lies in its hands.

Joe Kern, a Springdale councilman and a plaintiff in the injunction lawsuit, said Friday that while he would have liked to see more oversight with the demolition permit, he understands why it was renewed.

Kern was appointed to council to fill a vacancy the same night council renewed the demolition permit, Jan. 16. He abstained from voting. He was not on council when the original demolition permit was issued in February 2023.

He said he is hoping for a safe and more transparent demolition at the site.

“Now that I’m on council, you better believe I’ll be paying attention to whatever they’re doing in the future,” Kern said.