By Dave Sutor, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa. The Tribune Content Agency
SOMERSET, Pa. - Although the Robert's Main Street Pub building in downtown Johnstown will soon be completely razed, part of its essence will survive, transplanted into a historic structure in Somerset Borough.
Bricks from the blighted downtown structure, which is currently being demolished, are being used to help shore up a building at 140 W. Union St. that dates back to sometime between 1800 and 1820 in what is now the Uptown Somerset Historic District.
The arrangement came about when Steven Spochart, executive director of the Redevelopment Authority of Somerset County, approached the Johnstown Redevelopment Authority to see if the agency had any bricks available from a recent demolition.
"Giving new life to the past, by incorporating salvaged materials from our demolition into the restoration of the property in Somerset, we are not just assisting in rebuilding, but preserving the story of 224 Main St.," JRA Executive Director Melissa Komar said, referring to the address of the Robert's Main Street Pub building.
JRA board member and Johnstown City Councilwoman Laura Huchel expressed similar thoughts, saying: "I think it's really important. With all the demolition that we're doing, there's a potential to lose a lot of history, so the fact that we're able to reuse these bricks and some of the architectural elements is so important for our community."
The Community Foundation for the Alleghenies, a philanthropic organization, has supported both authorities in their efforts to preserve historic sites and demolish blighted buildings that cannot be saved.
"From the CFA perspective, the funding support the foundation provided for both projects/authorities was very positive," said Mike Kane, the foundation's president and executive director. "We were ecstatic to see both authorities working together to eliminate blight through both demolition and restoration."
The 140 W. Union St. building in Somerset was originally a Masonic lodge, according to Spochart. It is next to another brick building at 150 W. Union St. that was built sometime between 1824 and 1832 and was once a Somerset German Lutheran church. They are connected by a structure that Spochart said was added sometime in the 1970s.
They have been home to some businesses and residents in recent times, but Spochart described them as "definitely underutilized." The Redevelopment Authority of Somerset County purchased the properties to "save the buildings from demolition" and rehabilitate them.
"Now we're actually getting into some planning of what we want them to become," Spochart said.
"Part of the conceptual plan right now is to pursue making those properties like a boutique inn, offering almost along the lines of an Airbnb, where we create rooms - whether that's Airbnb or not - with a small retail place, maybe a cafe or salon or something like that, so then we could have small businesses."
He added: "I think it's important. A lot of times what I advise communities, especially with blight remediation, and these older buildings, and even homes and things like that that just fall on hard times - it's tough, but you've got to be very strategic about doing demo because a town can really lose a lot of its character by taking down too many."