ARTICLE
A pair of buildings were demolished today on the property of the historic Whitefield House as part of the Moravian Historical Society's $3 million campaign to improve the property. Crews from Nazareth-based Beatty Contractors knocked down the buildings at the corner of Center Street. The structures -- sitting on what is known as the "Ephrata Tract" previously had been rented out to tenants. Megan van Ravenswaay, director of the historic Whitefield House Museum, said the insurance company for the nonprofit had demanded approximately $100,000 in repairs to the buildings that weren't affordable. The nonprofit had unsuccessfully sought out a charitable organization to take over the space. Instead, prior to demolition, members of Habitat Lehigh Valley ReStore in Whitehall Township were able to collect such things as a refrigerator, banisters, cabinets and door hinges to be used toward Habitat for Humanity projects, van Ravenswaay said. "It was phenomenal; they took everything that was useable out," she said. Click here to read the article.