Greensburg officials are still considering options to replace the public works garage destroyed by fire last year, but talk of seeking a new location for the building has been scuttled due to the financial uncertainty brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

“We can’t look elsewhere because of covid-19,” said public works Director Tom Bell. “(City council) is not going to know what funds are available for next year.”

The South Urania Avenue garage and much of the equipment inside was destroyed Oct. 12 in a fire that started in a street sweeper. The remains of the building were demolished in December.

City leaders have considered three options for replacing the garage — constructing a new building of the same size, constructing a larger building on the same site, or seeking a new property for a larger facility.

The pandemic and ensuing economic shutdown is expected to be a major hit to municipal revenue. The city can’t afford now to purchase property for a new building, Bell said.

City council will vote Monday on whether to hire Civil & Environmental Consultants Inc. of Robinson Township to draw up two sets of plans — one for replacing the 12,000-square foot garage with a new building the same size and one for a larger 20,000-square-foot structure on the South Urania property, according to city Administrator Kelsye Milliron.

The plans will cost $119,500. Insurance will pay for $89,500 of that. The city will pay the remaining $30,000 to cover the second set of plans for the larger building.

The city’s insurance will only pay to replace the existing building with one of the same size. Greensburg would foot the bill for the additional costs associated with a larger building.

A 20,000-square-foot garage might require moving the city’s salt shed, which shares a lot with the maintenance garage, Bell said.

Officials are considering several pieces of city-owned property for the shed, according to Bell. Workers would need to construct a new foundation, but the shed itself could be disassembled and moved to the new location.

It’s too early to know when construction could begin, but Bell said he hopes work will be underway by spring.

The street sweeper, three dump trucks, a front loader, skid steer and pump truck were destroyed in the fire. All damaged equipment has been either replaced or repaired.

“We are ready to go, our fleet is 100%” Bell said.

Greensburg is storing most of its public works fleet at a Clark Street building it is leasing from Stone & Co.

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