SUNBURY -- When Drew Alexander bought the home at 130 N. Fifth St. and told code officer Joe Swope he planned to renovate it, Alexander said Swope told him he was crazy.
Half of the duplex was gutted in an April 2006 fire and then condemned. Before that, the building was the subject of frequent code violations.
"It was bad," said Swope. "It was in rough shape."
Alexander, co-owner of ERL Management, Bloomsburg, said when he purchased the home in February 2008, it was in such poor shape the side walls were bulging out and he and his crew had to raise the second floor to relieve the pressure on the first floor and replace the walls.
They then raised the entire house off its foundation using eight 20-ton jacks to replace the rotted wooden sill at the foundation
They removed debris and trash, some from the fire, as well as countless bags of trash piled in the basement and attic, Alexander said.
"Flipping a house isn't as easy as it sounds," he said. "The first three months of the project was fixing the existing structure. ... If you're flipping a house, it's usually cosmetic."
Nevertheless, he doesn't have any regrets about taking on the project, Alexander said. "We knew what we were getting into with this."
A year later and you can hardly tell it's the same house. The fire-damaged side has a new roof, new windows, doors, siding, plumbing and wiring. The other half should be finished in three weeks, he said.
Alexander's company owns 25 apartments spread across Bloomsburg, Danville, Catawissa and now Sunbury. He said he likes the challenge of fixing a home, especially if people think it can't be done.
"I was excited (Swope) said (I was crazy) because I wanted to see what he said when it was done," said Alexander. "For me, it's the challenge. Especially when I walk into something I've never done before."
According to Alexander, when Swope saw what he and his crew had done to the house, the code officer said, "I've never seen anything like this before."
Swope said he's glad Alexander was able to repair the house rather than tear it down and create another vacant lot.
"Condemned properties are just not good for any city," said Swope. "The quicker they work on it, the quicker the neighborhood is happy."
Alexander and his crew got plenty of encouragement from the neighbors, who would come by and tell them what a good job they were doing or bring them cold drinks on a hot day.
And for Elm Street manager Kristin McLaughlin, what Alexander is doing is just what the city needs.
"What's important is the housing stock gets fixed. It raises not only that property's value, but also the ones around it," she said.
n E-mail comments to rscott@dailyitem.com.
News
Related Photos
Discussion
It took a year, but gutted house looking better
- News
-
-
5 watershed projects get $873G
Five Valley watershed projects will get nearly $873,000 from the state Department of Environmental Protection, which announced funding for 73 projects to improve watersheds, stormwater runoff, acid mine drainage and educational programs, among other environmental efforts.
-
Dispute turns into gun threat, troopers say
After an argument in which his wife threatened divorce, William Warren Woolsey, 36, grabbed a .22-caliber rifle and told her to meet him in the bedroom, saying he would kill himself, state police at Milton said.
-
Mom allegedly beat toddlers with brush
A 22-year-old Mifflinburg mother has been charged with beating her two toddlers with a hairbrush until they bled from abrasions all over their faces and bodies, state police at Milton said.
-
Commissioners give disabled Sunburian a chance
A 22-year-old disabled man asked the Northumberland County commissioners a life-changing question last week. "Can I have a job?"
-
Trucking firm to add 25 drivers
The president of Watsontown Trucking Co. said Tuesday that his firm will be hiring 25 truck drivers in addition to several diesel technician and management positions, all due to expansion.
-
Moran raises rail bid to $30M
WATSONTOWN -- Moran Industries has raised its bid price for a short-line railroad, offering $30 million to buy the railroad and take over its operation.
-
Mayor wants trucks to help fund roads
SUNBURY -- Mayor David Persing is frustrated with truck traffic entering the former Celotex site on North Front Street, and he wants to do something about it.
-
18-year-old dies in truck crash on Routes 11-15
LIVERPOOL -- An 18-year old Selinsgrove man was killed when his pickup truck collided with a tractor-trailer on Routes 11-15 in Perry County.
-
Reactions to budget plan mixed
NetSummary
-
Proposal alters school funding
HARRISBURG -- Gov. Tom Corbett has proposed steady funding for K-12 basic education in his $27.1 billion budget for 2012-13. But how school districts get their money will change as four line items will be combined into one block grant for most basic education funding.
-
Moran Industries raises rail line bid to $30 million
WATSONTOWN — Moran Industries, Inc. today announced a follow-up offer to the eight-member counties for the purchase of the SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority properties. The company also revised its offer to include the rights and privileges to be the short line’s rail operator, bidding a total of $30 million.
-
State universities face steep cuts in governor's budget plan
PHILADELPHIA — State colleges and universities still trying to recover from deep cuts last year are facing the possibility of further steep reductions, and their students could receive less financial aid under the 2012-13 budget proposed Tuesday by Gov. Tom Corbett.
- More News Headlines
-
5 watershed projects get $873G
