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NV Twp. Pursues Library Repairs
Temporary facility at shopping center is struggling
By Kristen Keleschenyi
The Tube City Almanac
December 24, 2024
Posted in: North Versailles Twp. News
The North Versailles library and community center have been closed since 2023 after a building inspection revealed structural damage. (Kristen Keleschenyi photo for Tube City Almanac)
North Versailles Twp. commissioners will seek bids to repair the North Versailles Library and Community Center.
The library, located at 1401 Greensburg Ave., has been closed since September 2023 after a building inspection indicated structural damage.
Years of storing road salt in the building's garage space caused cracks to form in the walls. The building has remained closed, due to an abundance of caution, and a temporary site has been operating in the Great Valley Shopping Center in the former Good Samaritan Thrift Store.
A resident survey, distributed in late spring and early summer, was part of the catalyst to get the repairs done as soon as possible. “We got a lot of feedback with that,” said Commissioner Louise Beswick said. “People want their community center and library open.”
Beswick also gets regular calls from Sallie Kaser, one of the organizers of the weekly senior bingo which was moved from the community center to the Crestas Terrace volunteer fire station. “Right now that is still going well, but she (Sallie) did say to me, ‘Do you know when we’re going to open the building?’”
Commissioner George Thompson said it had been the plan to build a whole new library. “We thought our answer was building, but we’re at least three years away from that happening.”
It has been seven months since the temporary site opened in Great Valley and unfortunately that hasn’t gone as well as expected.
“They are just not getting as many people for their programs, and I do think the number of people that went to the library, that number has probably diminished since they first opened,” Beswick said.
Thompson said there also are safety concerns for both library staff and patrons at the temporary site. He said there are leaks in the roof and that parking is limited.
North Versailles resident Catherine Egnatz used to frequent the library on Greensburg Avenue. “I could fax all of my stuff and get my copies, so I was using the library all the time,” Egnatz said. “It was just the convenience of it.”
Once that location closed, Egnatz started going to the Monroeville Public Library. She said she is now attached to that library and likes all that it has to offer.
She occasionally goes to Great Valley when she has books to drop off. Egnatz has to physically go into the library since they no longer have a drop box like they did at Greensburg Avenue.
“I don’t think the box would last there,” Egnatz said, describing the foot traffic going into the adjacent businesses including Fine Wine & Good Spirits, Allegheny County Juvenile Court and a convenience store.
Township officials say the library has lost patrons since temporarily relocating to Great Valley Shopping Center. (Kristen Keleschenyi photo for Tube City Almanac)
Egnatz also worked as a poll volunteer in the recent election. They used the township meeting/conference room which was crowded at times due to the record number of people in the area who voted.
She is looking forward to when the roomier community center will be available again: “It’ll be nice to have it back.”
Commissioners are still waiting to get a list of what needs to be done from the structural engineer. Once that list is complete, they will start requesting bids for the repair project.
The township is working with Glenn Engineering, who is consulting with the original engineer who warned of the deteriorating structure. “We are dealing with them to tell us exactly what we need to do,” Thompson said. “It is fixable.”
The township does have money set aside for the repair work and Beswick says they have applied for a $300,000 grant that would help offset the cost but they have not heard yet if they will receive it.
Commissioners hope residents will be patient as the repair project is subject to delays that are beyond their control. “There’s going to be so much excitement when it is open back up again” Beswick said. “The people are used to renting the community center for parties, baby showers, wedding showers and birthday parties. We will make a big deal about it when it becomes open.”
North Versailles Twp. commissioners meetings are held on the third Thursday of the month at the municipal building. The meetings begin at 7 p.m.
Kristen Keleschenyi is a freelance writer in North Versailles Twp. and one of the hosts of the Kristen & Amber Show on Tube City Online Radio at 5 p.m. Saturdays, 9 p.m. Mondays and 4 p.m. Thursdays. She may be reached at kbishop25@hotmail.com. Editor Jason Togyer contributed.
Originally published December 24, 2024.
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