POTTSTOWN >> If you are already irritated by the four-month closure of North Charlotte Street between King and Lesher Alley, you might want to sit down.
Because starting on Sept. 6, King Street will also be closed during the day – from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. – for four to six weeks.
The cause of both closures is a crumbing bell tower on First Baptist Church, which sits on the northeast corner of King and North Charlotte Streets.
It first came to the notice of the public when a large stone fell from the tower and crashed through front steps of the church.
Luckily, no one was hurt. But the borough, seeing that the tower was leaning out over North Charlotte Street, ordered the street closed until the tower can be removed.
The church has finally put together enough money to take the leaning tower down – estimated at about $200,000 – but it will take some time, according to Dennis Gallino, chairman of the church’s tower committee.
For drivers, that means a detour.
Pottstown Police Cpl. Charles McClincy said northbound truck traffic on King Street – which is state Route 663 from Route 100 to North Charlotte Street – will be diverted up North Hanover Street, to Beech Street east and then on to North Charlotte Street.
Southbound truck traffic on Route 663 will follow the reverse route to Route 100.
McClincy also said signs would be posted along King Street at the intersections with Evans, Franklin, North Hanover and Manatawny streets announcing the hours King Street will be closed and with detour arrows directing traffic around the work site.
According to the First Baptist Church web site, the money for the disassembling of the tower was raised from its members as well as a help neighboring Christ Episcopal Church.
“They helped us out with a significant gift, as well as a loan, which allowed us to avoid trying to get the money through American Baptist Churches and that has allowed us to get started much more quickly,” said Gallino.
The cost for repairing the tower was estimated at $1 million, and was too much for the church to raise.
Gallino said the disassembling work will be done by Hartland Demolition and Restoration under a general contract with Bennington and Son Church Specialists out of Scranton.
He said the stones will be taken out by hand by two-man teams, “and they are going to have to put in protection measures, to protect the roof and the stained glass windows,” he said.
“That’s what’s going to cost so much money, the money hours,” Gallino said.
The slightly tiled flat roof that will replace the bell tower once its down “will be invisible from the street,” said Gallino.
