The 231-237 Pennsylvania Avenue West demolition plans were put on hold.

The Warren Redevelopment Authority declined to award a demolition contract for the long-vacant property at 231-237 Pennsylvania Avenue West, effectively postponing demolition plans and reopening discussions with a local nonprofit group seeking to redevelop the historic structure.

The special meeting, which drew a large crowd, requiring the meeting to be moved to the second floor Council Chambers of the Municipal Building, centered on whether the authority would move forward with demolition of the former Eagles Crest project site after months of debate over the property’s future.

During the last public meeting, the RDA offered to transfer the property to a local nonprofit-led development group, known as the Warren Heritage Community Alliance, under two conditions: that the project be fully operational within three years and that the organization secure a $200,000 developer’s bond to cover demolition costs if the project failed or the organization dissolved.

Representatives of the group argued Wednesday the terms were too restrictive and requested additional time and flexibility.

“We want to salvage the existing property,” board member Ron Peterson told the authority. “We see value in historic properties.”

The building has remained at the center of redevelopment discussions since October 2024, when the RDA regained control of the property after the collapse of the Eagles Crest development project.

According to a timeline presented by city officials, the authority issued redevelopment requests for proposals in 2025 but received no formal responses before turning its attention toward demolition because of safety concerns. Interest in redevelopment emerged later when a coalition of local residents and organizations proposed transforming the building into a nonprofit and community-focused space.

During Wednesday’s meeting, City Engineer Chad Yurisic summarized demolition bids received for the project. He recommended that the authority award a base demolition contract of $130,350 to Fox and Sons Excavating, the low bidder for the demolition work.

After a motion and second were made to award the contract, a large number of residents addressed the authority, urging members to continue working with the redevelopment group rather than proceed with demolition.

Several speakers emphasized the building’s historic significance and questioned whether every avenue for rehabilitation had been exhausted.

Elizabeth Rabel, a member of the Warren Planning Commission, said the loss of historic buildings diminishes the city’s identity and argued local residents should be given opportunities comparable to those previously extended to outside developers.

“I think it’s fair to give the same opportunities to people in our community that are local and that are raising their kids here,” Rabel said.

However, others voiced concerns about the building’s deteriorating condition.

Christie’s Downtown Pub and Grill owner Chris Arford, whose business neighbors the 231-237 Pennsylvania Avenue West building, said water infiltration, mold and structural deterioration have begun affecting adjacent properties, including his own.

“Either way, I just wish something would happen immediately,” he said. “The more days that go by, the more it’s going to start to affect our building.”

Members of the redevelopment group presented a counterproposal seeking a longer project timeline and elimination of the demolition bond requirement. They argued the bond would make fundraising and grant applications more difficult and asked the authority to establish progress benchmarks rather than require full project completion within three years.

RDA members said the bond requirement was intended to protect taxpayers from inheriting an even larger demolition expense if redevelopment efforts stalled.

Following nearly two hours of public comment and discussion, board members reconsidered the demolition motion. The motion ultimately failed, with all three board members present indicating they were not prepared to move forward with demolition at this time.

The authority instead voted to place the redevelopment proposal back on the agenda for the July meeting, stating that there may not be enough members present at the upcoming June meeting to have a quorum.

The decision leaves the future of the Pennsylvania Avenue property unresolved but keeps alive the possibility of redevelopment for a building many residents described as an important part of Warren’s historic downtown.