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Demolition has begun at Engaging Heaven Church on Union Street in New London after a steeple on the 200-year-old church collapsed on Thursday.

A crane was brought in on Friday and there is now a gaping hole where the front of the house of worship stood.

City officials said the entire church will need to be demolished, and it could take several days.

Roads remain closed on Friday after a steeple on a 200-year-old church collapsed on Thursday and officials said they will demolish the two steeples that are left standing.

Firefighters and a structural engineer used a ladder truck to inspect the church from above on Friday afternoon before the demolition started.

Parts of State Street, Union Street and Masonic Street remain closed on Friday. City officials say they're working out issues with traffic and parking downtown.

Engaging Heaven Church owns the downtown New London church, which was built in 1810. An addition was added in 1975, according to property records.

The steeple that toppled Thursday was a local landmark.

"The skyline in the city has permanently changed and we lost a significant piece of history," Mayor Michael Passero said.

From where I live over on Huntington Street, look over the parking garage over here and I could see the steeple. When I looked out this morning, its gone, Ken Sentell, of New London, said.

Its not clear what caused the steeple to collapse. City officials said they are working to preserve as much evidence as possible to help determine the cause.

The mayor went on to say that there are a number of structures the city hopes to inspect following this incident. However, there's no reason to believe any other buildings are structurally compromised.

Passero said it was one of the oldest religious structures in the city.

We've suffered a very serious setback here in downtown New London with the loss of one of the oldest and and certainly one of the most gorgeous religious structures in the city, Passero said.

Engaging Heaven Church said one woman was inside when the church collapsed and she was able to get out safely. No one else was inside.

This image shows what the church looked like before and after the steeple collapsed.

The church is right next to New London City Hall and the Manwaring Building, where Connecticut College students live, and the students have been evacuated.

"Yeah. So, I'm, I'm just sitting on my couch and I hear what sounds like the loudest thunder I've ever heard. And I opened my blinds and see a bunch of dust and rocks rolling down that hill, right there in front of the church. And I kind of got up and ran away from the window thinking that the church was collapsing," Nick Musi, a Connecticut College student, said.

Fifty students were evacuated and have been relocated to the New London Holiday Inn and the New London Red Cross will be helping the students. They will not be able to return to the dorm before demolition is fully complete.

Engaging Heaven Church services will be held at the Garde Arts Theatre this Sunday. After that, the church will utilize the Salvation Army to conduct business.

Human Resources Director Jeanne Milstein said the church serves breakfast and lunch to about 70 people each day. The police department delivered breakfast sandwiches to those in need this morning.

"Our community is so resilient and I cannot even begin to describe the outpouring of support we've received," Milstein said.

People who witnessed the collapse described what they saw.

I was sitting in my car and I heard a huge, thunderous sound. And I looked to my left and when I first looked at the church it was whole and in that split second, the whole middle part of the church just collapsed, Lester Harris, of New London, said.

During a news conference on Friday, Fire Marshal Vernon Saau said the last inspection done at the church was in January 2019. At that time, there were three minor violations that were immediately fixed.

Inspections are supposed to be conducted every two years, but the pandemic "threw a wrinkle in the inspection process," according to the mayor.

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Historic New London church to be completely demolished after steeple collapse - NBC Connecticut

Warren Scott DEMOLITION PLANNED Toronto officials have announced plans to demolish the Cooper building at 300 Market St. and hope to secure funding for a small amphitheater on the remaining lot.

TORONTO With a large building on Market Street slated for demolition, city officials hope to secure funds to create a small amphitheater at the site.

On Monday, Bill Lucas, chairman of the citys planning and zoning commission, advised council the Jefferson County Land Bank has made plans to demolish the former Cooper Hardware building at 300 Market St. and is in the process of surveying the property, which it acquired through a sheriffs tax auction, and having the three-story structure inspected for asbestos.

Mayor John Parker said its structure is in poor condition, with a collapsing roof and other issues.

He said one concern that was raised was whether a large mural on its east wall can be preserved.

Commissioned by the Toronto Coalition for Revitalization, the mural pays tribute to military veterans, bearing the words, All Gave Some. Some Gave All.

Parker said officials with the land bank enlisted an architect to determine whether that section of wall could be maintained. But he said it was determined The cost of trying to save that would be astronomical and theres no guarantee it would remain intact.

The mayor said instead, ways to photograph the mural and reproduce it, in some form, elsewhere are being considered.

Parker and Councilman Michael Glenn, who chairs the citys buildings and grounds committee, said a long-term goal is to establish a small amphitheater on the remaining lot in honor of former mayor Bob Wilson.

I think it will tie together our downtown area, said Parker, who noted removing the Cooper building will improve visibility for the Veterans Victory Pavilion across from it on North Third Street.

The park is the site of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, which was the first American monument to World War I veterans when it was commissioned in 1919.

Coalition President George Komar, who was called for comment, was asked whether the amphitheater might be used for the weekly community concerts held by the group in the summer.

The concerts have been held in the Gazebo Commons, which are just southeast of the Cooper building.

Komar said its difficult to say until details are available, but he had an idea for preserving the veterans mural.

He said a photo of it could be reproduced on a large vinyl banner by a local billboard company and possibly displayed on a building near North Third Street.

Also on Monday:

Council approved a resolution expressing sympathy to the family of former councilman Jay S. Smith, who died on Dec. 3 at the age of 94.

Council President Frank McEwen noted he worked with Smith while serving as the citys fire chief.

Mr. Smith was always a great guy to work with. He was always willing to work with all of the city employees, McEwen said, adding Smith listened to their concerns and kept a level head at all times.

William Scalley, the citys safety director, said, He was probably one of the nicest guys you could meet. He was just an all-around great guy.

It was noted Smith also was a long-time employee of the Toronto School Districts custodial and maintenance department and active in the Sunrise Seniors group and St. Francis Catholic Church.

Councilman Michael Burkey, who chairs the finance committee, noted the citys police department has been awarded a grant for new body cameras to be worn by its officers.

The office of Gov. Mike DeWine, has announced $19,347 was awarded to the Toronto department, one of 108 law enforcement agencies for which nearly $4.8 million in grants were awarded through the states Law Enforcement Body-Worn Camera program.

City Police Chief Charley Daniels said he had hoped to receive about $42,000 to replace 11 cameras that are showing wear from 10 years of use, but the grant is expected to cover seven of them, for which hes thankful.

Parker applauded Daniels and Sgt. Peter Morris for securing the grant.

Councilman Ron Holmes said he contacted American Electric Power about several streetlights that werent functioning and they have been addressed, adding hes since observed a few others that he will report.

Holmes also reported Toronto school officials found water leaking into the pre-school office of the Karaffa Recreation Center, have attributed it to wind damage to the buildings roof and are looking into the roofs warranty.

Parker said the roof was replaced before the school district transferred the building to the city.

Since then, the former school has been used as a recreation center while the school district retained some space for its pre-school program.

(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com.)

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Demolition in the works for Toronto building, amphitheater eyed for site - The Steubenville Herald-Star

January 27, 2024 5:03 pm Last Updated: January 28, 2024 10:21 am

New London The demolition of the historic First Congregational Church in New London began late Saturday morning, as a growing crowd of people watched.

A grapple excavator removed parts of one of the churchs towers and then lowered and dropped the building materials onto the existing pile of rubble from Thursdays steeple collapse. The pile was then sprayed with water from a fire hose.

No one was injured in the steeple collapse on Thursday afternoon. A secretary was inside the building at the time, but got out safely.

On Saturday morning, people took photos and videos and talked about the church, as the remaining parts of the structure started to be demolished.

New London resident Christine Derham, who was among the people watching the demolition Saturday morning from Union and State streets, said it was sad to see the demolition of the church that served as a community hub where people could get meals, if they needed them, and to see a piece of history gone.

The church was a sight she has seen every day since moving to New London about a decade ago.

This is so much a part of the city, Derham said of the church. This is something I see every day walking the dog.

Derham said there are no words to describe how something that looked so solid could just fall over as it did on Thursday, but thank goodness no one was injured.

New London residents Goose Wallace and Jake Fitzpatrick were relieved that no one was injured in Thursdays collapse, which was their top concern.

The friends were talking earlier Saturday morning about how many memories the church held for people, who celebrated weddings or got meals there, and hoped some of the materials could be salvaged to preserve those memories.

I think that seeing all the old architecture is really intriguing but its also very sad to see all the hard work that so many people put into it just be turned to dust a little bit, said Wallace, who noted that a cross-section of the church was visible due to the demolition.

Wallace, who recently moved to New England, added that the collapse raises the question of how many other buildings are a day away from a potential collapse.

New London Mayor Michael Passero was on scene watching the demolition.

The reality is really starting to sink in that we've lost an incredible historic asset in the city, Passero said. But also just looking at the way this building is crumbling, falling apart, its just a revelation that probably in the city and all over the state there are buildings in this condition that are going to have to be addressed.

Weve already begun talking about how were going to be able to obtain inspections on other substantial structures like this that could possibly pose a risk to the publics safety, he added.

By a little before 4:30 p.m. Saturday, the right tower was knocked about three quarters of the way down, and work was being done on the left tower, closer to the Manwaring Building, according to Fire Marshal Vernon Skau.

By early evening, a significant part of both towers had been demolished.

Skau said demolition is expected to continue Sunday and through the week.

The cause of the collapse of the church steeple remains under investigation, he said.

k.drelich@theday.com

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Demolition of First Congregational Church in New London begins - theday.com

Construction crews in South Carolina have 'unearthed' a piece of history while preparing for the future in one city.(Above video is the Friday morning headlines for 1/26/24.)The city of Spartanburg posted a photo on social media showing an ornate piece of what city officials called "an iconic column capital from the 1914 City Hall."The discovery that officials said was a "bit of a surprise" came as crews were preparing to demolish the current city hall at 145 W. Broad St. to make way for a new one.More news: SUV crashes into Cracker Barrel. See the video of the damage."The piece was buried by work crews after demolition of the former City Hall building in the late 1950s," Christopher George, the city's communications manager, said. "That building was located next to the current City Hall building, which is slated to be demolished itself in the coming months."Crews began this week testing the land, starting mitigation on the old building that will lead to demolition, officials said Monday during the last city council meeting in the building.Here's more from that last meeting.The 1914 city hall building is depicted on the city's seal. See photo below.As for what will be done with this historic find?"Currently, the piece is in storage, and we will work with the library and local history organizations to figure out a suitable future for the piece, which we would love to see displayed for the public in some capacity," George said.Officials said demolition of city hall should start sometime this summer.More news: Greenville restaurant announces it will close Saturday

Construction crews in South Carolina have 'unearthed' a piece of history while preparing for the future in one city.

(Above video is the Friday morning headlines for 1/26/24.)

The city of Spartanburg posted a photo on social media showing an ornate piece of what city officials called "an iconic column capital from the 1914 City Hall."

The discovery that officials said was a "bit of a surprise" came as crews were preparing to demolish the current city hall at 145 W. Broad St. to make way for a new one.

Instagram/City of Spartanburg

More news: SUV crashes into Cracker Barrel. See the video of the damage.

"The piece was buried by work crews after demolition of the former City Hall building in the late 1950s," Christopher George, the city's communications manager, said. "That building was located next to the current City Hall building, which is slated to be demolished itself in the coming months."

Crews began this week testing the land, starting mitigation on the old building that will lead to demolition, officials said Monday during the last city council meeting in the building.

Here's more from that last meeting.

The 1914 city hall building is depicted on the city's seal. See photo below.

As for what will be done with this historic find?

"Currently, the piece is in storage, and we will work with the library and local history organizations to figure out a suitable future for the piece, which we would love to see displayed for the public in some capacity," George said.

Officials said demolition of city hall should start sometime this summer.

More news: Greenville restaurant announces it will close Saturday

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South Carolina: Historic find 'unearthed' in city hall demolition - WYFF4 Greenville

Demolition of a commercial building in Los Altos that was badly damaged in a three-alarm Christmas Day fire began Wednesday.

A contractor's crew started tearing down the roof and second story of the building in order to make it safe for investigators with the Santa Clara County Fire Department to get inside and determine what caused the fire.

"The roof has collapsed, so that collapse might cause more collapse," Santa Clara County Fire Department Capt. Matt Mokhtarian said. "We are going to dismantle this building from the top down. That will allowa safe environment with hopefully no overhead obstructions for the firefighters and the investigators to complete that investigation."

El Camino Real between San Antonio Road and Sherwood Avenue was closed as a result of the fire and will remain off limits to traffic until the demolition is complete.

The fire was reported at 4:48 a.m. Dec. 25 at the two-story, roughly 20,000 square foot building at 4600 El Camino Real.

No injuries were reported.

NBC Bay Area's Marianne Favro contributed to this report.

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Demolition starts on burned commercial building in Los Altos - NBC Bay Area

EDGEWATER Upcoming renovations to Edgewaters Steep Theatre will create a full bar and hangout space, and there will be stage production upgrades and other improvements.

Neighbors can support Steep Theatres efforts at its Demolition Party 6:30 p.m. Jan. 27 at the theater, 1044 W. Berwyn Ave. Tickets are $60 and are available online.

Attendees will learn more about the construction while enjoying snacks and refreshments. They can also get involved by helping to dismantle one of the walls in the building.

Were not asking anyone to do serious work, but youll get to physically put your mark on the building, said Marisa Macella, executive director of Steep Theatre. We found the hammer that struck the first blow on our previous building, so the hammer itself is also symbolic of where Steep has come from and where were going next.

Construction is expected to be complete by the end of the year, and the theater will likely reopen in early 2025, Macella said.

The majority of the renovations are funded by a $2.98 million grant from the city, Macella said. The grant was part of a $40 million community development initiative designed to spur economic activity after the pandemic.

Steep Theatre is still raising money to fund the project and to help maintain the space once renovations are complete. There are also opportunities for people to make donations to name parts of the new building, Marcella said.

Most noticeably, the renovations will expand the theaters lobby to create a warm and welcoming space for post-show hangouts, Macella said.

Part of the culture of Steep Theatre is the moments before and after the show where people have conversations about the performance and get to spend time chatting with the performers, Macella said. It was really important to use to create an area where people can gather.

There also will be a full bar, and the construction will connect to new public bathrooms in the lobby and a small outdoor garden space.

This gathering area will be shaped like a black box theater so it can also be used for smaller, more intimate performances, Macella said.

Fans of the previous Steep location will remember that our old gathering space and black box theater, The Box Car, had large pillars that blocked peoples view, Macella said. Those wont be there anymore, but we were joking that we should put some up just for fun for the first show.

The theater also will have more flexible seating, including moveable risers to ensure everyone has a good view of the stage no matter how the chairs are configured, Macella said.

Performers will see upgrades, with a new dressing room and green room near private bathrooms, Macella said. There will also be a new production office and a stage manager station with a direct view into the theater.

Steep Theatre was forced to leave its previous home at 1115 W. Berwyn Ave. after a developer bought the building to turn it into a 77-unit apartment complex. Steep had been based there since 2008.

After two years off stage, Steep reopened at 1044 W. Berwyn Ave. in July 2022, within a building that used to operate as a Christian Science Reading Room.

The building already has a large open space that performers have used as a makeshift theater, but its missing lighting equipment and other materials that are needed to put on a full production, Macella said.

The upcoming renovations will also improve the overall space, so its more conducive for a full production, with all the bells and whistles, Macella said.

Its great to have parts of the renovations that benefit our audience and parts that benefit our artists, Macella said. The building itself is going to be improved for every single person thats going to be in it.

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Steep Theatre Hosting Demolition Party, Where Neighbors Can Knock Down A Wall Ahead Of Renovations - Block Club Chicago

PENROSE, Colo. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Thursday a tentative demolition schedule of the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose, Colorado.

The agency says it expects to begin the demolition process during the last week of February. Once the work begins it should take a total of 10 days to complete.

The cleanup process involves demolition crews spraying the interior of the buildings with disinfectant, and odor suppressant. The building will carefully be torn down to prevent the spread of contaminants, and finally, crews will do a shallow surface scraping of the soil under the building footprint before being taken away to a landfill.

This comes after the demolition was supposed to take place on January 17 but was postponed following scheduling issues.

The Return to Nature Funeral home was the site where 190 bodies were found improperly stored along the side of Highway 115 in Penrose.

Owners Jon and Carie Hallford are currently being held in the El Paso County Jail. Carie Hallford appeared before a judge on January 17 where the court ruled there was enough probable cause to send the case against Carie to trial. Co-owner and Carie's husband Jon Hallford has his preliminary hearing set for February 8.

The Hallfords have had their bonds reduced by the courts to $100,000 cash bond, from the initial $2 million set at the time of their arrests. The Hallfords are facing hundreds of criminal charges for abuse of a corpse, fraud, and money laundering.

BACKGROUND

Return to Nature Funeral Home came under a multi-agency investigation in October following reports of a complaint about a foul odor in the area. Investigators said they found more than 150 bodies in various states of decomposition inside the building that were not properly stored. The two were arrested in Oklahoma in November of 2023.

In what was a multi-agency clean-up effort, coroner offices and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation worked tirelessly for a couple of weeks to remove the bodies from the building before the identification process could begin.

It was not until early November that the owners of the Return to Nature Funeral Home were arrested in Oklahoma. Jon and Carie Hallford were moved to El Paso County by late November where both appeared in court and had cash bonds set at $2 million.

Following their arrests, News5's Eleanor Sheahan spoke with families who were victims of the funeral home.

WATCH: VICTIMS OF RETURN TO NATURE SHARE WHAT OWNER'S ARRESTS MEAN TO THEM

Victims of Return to Nature share what owner's arrests mean to them

____

Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.

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New demolition timeline announced of Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose - KOAA News 5

SHENANDOAH The fences are up, dumpsters are placed, and heavy equipment is in place. The collapsing M&T Quart Store is finally coming down.

A longtime eyesore downtown at Main and Cherry Street, the building has been showing signs of collapse for well over a year, which prompted a change in the Heritage Day parade route.

Equipment from Kass Contracting was set up at the site at 200-202 South Main Street this week, with fences securing the site from passersby.

Borough Manager Tony Sajone told the Sentinel that Kass was awarded the emergency demolition contract at a cost of $30,000. He said demolition will start within the next few days.

Borough council approved the emergency demolition at their December meeting at the suggestion of Mark Pronio, Code Enforcement Officer. At that time, he said hed seen bystanders sitting on the porch of the property who, if the building were to collapse, would be seriously injured, if not killed.

He said Solicitor Shane Hobbs advised the borough that, following code enforcement actions, an emergency demolition permit should be issued and the building be taken down.

It is posted properly. Weve done all the protocols as far as a dangerous property, blighted property, were good to go with whatever we wish to do with that property, Pronio said at the January meeting. We dont need to own it at this point.

The borough will be on the hook for demolition costs as they were unable to acquire the property before demolition after a tax sale bid fell through.

The building housed the M&T Quart Store for several years and has been abandoned since that store closed.

It is owned by Edward Spielberger and Glen Paterson, both deceased, and Heather Dehanis, of 9019 Thomas York Boulevard, San Antonio, Texas.

Pronio told the Sentinel Friday evening that the borough and its solicitor is processing a lien against Dehanis.

He said the property had been posted as a dangerous property and she had been sent several letters. Pursuant to borough ordinances, Pronio said they can recoup the cost of demolition, plus 10%.

She will ultimately be required to reimburse the Borough or the Lien/Judgement will follow her indefinitely and will negatively affect her future financial transactions, Pronio said. Code Enforcement can, and when possible will, follow this same process on similar dangerous property issues to protect the public and fight the overwhelming blight in Shenandoah.

Editors Note: This article has been edited to include additional information provided by code enforcement regarding additional ongoing enforcement actions.

Kaylee Lindenmuth is a Shenandoah native with a passion for journalism and the community she calls home.

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Abandoned M&T Quart Store demolition imminent The Shenandoah Sentinel - Shenandoah Sentinel

Posted By: Dan R January 26, 2024

The Environmental Protection Agency announced yesterday a new demolition scheduled for the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose.

The agency says it expected to begin the demolition process during the last week of February. Once the work begins it should take a total of 10 days to complete.

This comes after the demolition was supposed to take place on January 17thbut was postponed following scheduling issues and bad weather.

The Return to Nature Funeral Home was the site where 190 decomposing bodies were found improperly stored. Owners Jon and Carie Hallford are being held in the El Paso County Jail facing over 200 felony charges each.

Danny Dan R Ridenour has been in radio and television broadcasting for over 40 years, starting as a senior in high school in Rogers, Arkansas. His radio career has had stops in Nashville, Memphis, Oklahoma, and eventually, Colorado. Dan enjoys being involved in the community, having been a member of the Upper Arkansas Service Club and is currently on the board of directors for the Salida Community Center and is a member of the Chaffee County Fair Committee. He and his wife Carrie spend their days doing everything the mountains have to offer: hiking, camping, fishing and skiing. They've raised 3 children and have 2 grandchildren.

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Demolition of Penrose Funeral Home Rescheduled - Heart of the Rockies Radio

The Inter-Mountain photos by Edgar Kelley The City of Elkins is currently accepting bids for the demolition and reclamation of two commercial structures in Elkins. One of the structures used to house Printcrafters on South Davis Avenue.

ELKINS The City of Elkins is moving forward with the demolition of two commercial structures.

As part of a grant-funded project to remove dilapidated properties, the city is accepting sealed bids for the demolition and reclamation of the two structures within the city limits.

The two properties scheduled to be taken down are located at 924 South Davis Avenue, and at 326 South Randolph Avenue. The city has set a strict completion date of March 15 for the properties to be removed.

The South Davis Avenue structure sits just across the bridge from Ginos, heading south. It is located across from Reckart Logistics and Hair Graphics.

The other structure is at the end of Center Street, on the Kroger end of the street.

The City of Elkins is currently accepting bids for the demolition and reclamation of two commercial structures in Elkins, including one located on South Randolph Avenue and at the end of Center Street, The city hopes to have the structures removed by March 15.

The property on South Randolph is close to Kroger and it has been on our list for quite some time, Elkins Mayor Jerry Marco told The Inter-Mountain. It has recently been painted blue and has some serious issues that make it dangerous for the community.

The one of South Davis used to be the old Printcrafters location. That structure has been pretty bad for years and its in close proximityto the homeless shelter, so some people who dont qualify to get into the shelter, because they have their rules and guidelines, could use that location to go into and reside. And we dont want that because we dont want another incident like what happened on River Street where people perished (in a structure fire). That was a terrible, terrible situation.

Marco said the demolition of the structures is being sent out as a package for bidders so that it costs less to have them both removed. Bids are being accepted until Feb. 2 at 2 p.m.

We feel like by combining these two structures, we are getting them removed at a reasonable price, said Marco. By packaging them you tend to get more bang for our buck.

Marco added that the city doesnt own either of the two structures that are scheduled to be demolished.

We were able to work with the property owners to help get these dilapidatedproperties down, he said. Its nice when that happens and we dont have to go through court and everything like that.

Back in 2021, the West Virginia Legislature passed Senate Bill 368 to allow the state Department of Environmental Protection to develop the Dilapidated Properties Program, to approve and administer funding to assist local jurisdictions in demolishing dilapidated buildings.

Elkins was awarded $300,000 through the program in 2022, and has been removing structures across the city eversince.

With the grant money we have been able to address some of the properties that we havent been able to get to becauseof the price, Marco said. Prior to getting theDEP money, we only had $50,000 a year to take some of these properties down.

The purpose of the demolitions is to remove unsafe structures, protect property values for neighboring homes and buildings, and encourage economic development in the city.

The majority of people I talk to are very thrilled that we are taking some of these properties down, Marco said. I have had a few people concernedabout historical properties and I have to remind them that just because a property is old, that doesnt necessarilymean its historical. Theres a difference between historic and old.

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City of Elkins set to demolish two commercial properties - The Inter-Mountain