Demolition halted; plans for site remain mystery

By SUSAN EVANS The Tribune-Democrat EBENSBURG — Codes enforcement officials on Wednesday halted demolition of a building on land the state sold to Altoona-based developers. Meanwhile, long-term plans for the five-acre site near the intersection of routes 219 and 22 still are under wraps. The required permits for demolishing a building had not been applied for or granted, said Barb Frantz, administrator of the Cambria County Building Code Enforcement Agency. “They’re shut down, and they still haven’t told us what’s going in there,” Cambria Township Supervisor Robert Shook said. At issue is five acres that was part of the Ebensburg Center, a 90-acre housing complex for the mentally challenged, and sits at one of the busiest commercial intersections in Cambria Township. With the support of state Sen. John Wozniak, D-Westmont,... [read full story]