Friday, August 20, 2010
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The roof collapsed over the Youngstown Maennerchor’s dance hall last week. A contractor, with the help of club volunteers, has been working to clear the debris. Funds are being collected at the downtown Home Savings and Loan to rebuild the roof.
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The 148-year-old Youngstown Maennerchor building on Mahoning Avenue suffered a partial roof collapse last week, causing the structure to be condemned by city officials.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
YOUNGSTOWN
Though it doesn’t have a roof — and may not replace the one that collapsed last week — the Youngstown Maennerchor on Mahoning Avenue is no longer condemned.
The German club is not reopened for business yet, said Gail Winner, its vice president.
“We’ll open as soon as possible,” she said.
The city “uncondemned” the 148-year-old building Thursday after club members removed debris and made it safe to enter the facility, said Brenda Williams, Youngstown’s chief building official.
The building’s ballroom, located below where the roof was, has a tarp protecting it, Winner said.
The future of the building is up in the air, she said.
The club is seeking money from its insurance company.
“There are different options,” Winner said. “We have to look at our finances and what’s best for the club. We need to get the club running because we have pool and dart leagues, fish fries and wing nights. We have to decide what we can do to get us open for business.”
Also, the ballroom was rented for anniversaries, weddings and other events.
Maennerchor members may choose to have a new roof built or knock down the 12-foot wooden walls that held it up and turn the ballroom, below the roof, into the new roof as well as an outdoor area, Winner said.
The ballroom and the bar/restaurant below it sustained water damage after the roof collapsed Aug. 10, Winner said.
Whatever is decided, it will be “expensive,” she said. Winner didn’t have estimates as to what it would cost for the options.
There is no deadline for the work to get done as long as the building remains safe, Williams said.
“But time is of the essence to them so they can avoid water damage,” Williams said. “They would be crazy to wait” too long.
The city condemned the building last week because of the structural damage.
The club, founded in 1863 as a German men’s singing society, bought the building at 831 Mahoning Ave. in 1925.
Winner said the club has about 150 members.