Palmerton Area School District’s board of directors awarded the Seventh Street field house demolition project to a Luzerne County company Tuesday night, and voted to purchase a two-car garage and a mini-barn to put in its place.

The field house, most recently used by the Palmerton Booster Club, was structurally damaged when a vehicle struck it last May.

When the crash occurred, Francis Botek, 81, of Lehighton, was traveling east on Delaware and wanted to make a U-turn to go west, but according to police, his gas pedal became stuck. The vehicle traveled across Delaware Avenue into the field house.

Earlier this month, Environmental Restoration Inc. submitted the lowest bid, $21,190, to tear down the building. Two other companies submitted bids, Bruce George Paving and Excavating at $25,112.50 and Rizz Demolition LLC at $29,500.

Palmerton received $98,000 through an insurance claim following the crash.

The scope of work includes the removal of the approximately 2,000-square-foot field house including the floor slab and frost footings to a foot below the existing slab elevations.

Material will be removed and hauled to a landfill dumpsite, but Palmerton officials said Tuesday there will be an opportunity to save some things with sentimental value, such as some of the building blocks that have signatures from past booster club players.

“We talked with the contractors during the walk through and that won’t be a problem for anyone who wants one of those blocks,” Al Lonoconus, Palmerton’s acting business manager, said. “Also, all of the tests were completed and there are no asbestos concerns.”

The board on Tuesday also approved the purchase of a 24-by-28-foot two-car garage and a 10-by-12-foot mini-barn from Kramer Sheds for placement at the Seventh Street field at a total cost of $20,303.

“These structures will give the booster club the space they need for their players and for their equipment,” Lonoconus said.

The district is expecting demolition in late May or early June.