Remodeling project comes to crashing halt in Homewood

James Knox

Terrence Parker hangs his head while a wayward minivan sits in the basement of his store Tuesday July 16, 2013 in Homewood. The van crashed into his building, that he was remodeling along North Lang Avenue, early Tuesday morning. The three female occupants of the van fled following the crash.

Published: Tuesday, July 16, 2013, 11:39p.m. Updated 5 hours ago

The minivan that crashed into a Homewood building and plunged into its basement early Tuesday destroyed Terrance Parker's remodeling plans.

Now, it's pretty much over, Parker said. The city condemned the building.

Parker said he started working on the building on North Lang Avenue and Idlewild Street last year with the goal of turning it into a convenience store.

There was a problem with funding, so we slowed up, Parker said. I've never been in this type of situation. I'm kind of losing hope, but I'm trying not to.

The minivan crashed through the boarded-up building and into the basement about 1:40 a.m., Pittsburgh police spokeswoman Diane Richard said. No one from the vehicle was there when police arrived, but Zone 5 Lt. Reyne Kacsuta said officers later found two of the three people believed to have been in the vehicle, including a woman hospitalized with minor injuries.

The driver has not been found, Richard said. Police are investigating the cause of the crash.

They'll be tearing it down in the morning, Parker said. It's a hazard, plus they have to get the van out of the basement.

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Remodeling project comes to crashing halt in Homewood