JEANETTE, Pa. — As of Tuesday afternoon, half of the former Monsour Medical Center in Jeanette hung at a slant, as crews chipped away at the building before bringing in a wrecking ball to finish the demolition.
Nearby residents who spoke with Channel 11 News said it’s a bittersweet end to a building that’s been standing since 1971.
FREE APPS | NOW | FACEBOOK | TWITTER
- Students hurt when school bus overturns on Interstate 79
- A mayor wants space where addicts can inject heroin safely
- Business owner: All employees required to get concealed weapons license
- Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium welcomes baby Amur leopard
In the seven years that Anita Fennell has lived behind Monsour Medical Center, she said she's seen some of its worst days.
"I'll get parts from the hospital on my lawn. It's been a general nuisance and eyesore to us,” she said.
However, when she was younger, she saw some of its best days.
"I was a candy striper in that hospital many years ago when I was in junior high school, and it was, at the time, a state-of-the-art hospital,” Fennell said.
Demolition day for the decades old hospital brought spectators near and far to in Jeannette.
"It's just such a big part of this area’s history coming down. We've watched it in phases from the first day they started it until now,” Pat Graham, of Madison, said.
Graham said she used to respond to the hospital as an EMT, but over the years, the old building has been trashed by vandals and vagrants.
"I wish it wouldn't have taken this long to get to this point. It should've been down a long time ago before it got to what it looked like now,” she said.
Demolition crews spent much of Tuesday jack hammering and clawing away at the building, floor by floor.
"I'm so happy today. This is like a victory for the neighbors, and we're finally getting rid of this,” Fennell said.
Neighbors told Channel 11 News that they hope the property will be turned into something good for the community and hope it will create some more jobs in the area.