A blighted building in Lehighton where several dozen cats had sought shelter is expected to be down within about a month.

Animal rescue groups are still on site trying to get stragglers.

Borough Manager Dane DeWire discussed the status of 135-139 N. First St. at Monday’s borough council meeting. DeWire said that the borough is using Community Development Block Grant funds, administered by Carbon County, for the demolition.

He said the borough is using $267,262 in 2020, 2021, and 2022 CDBG funds, and that the county previously awarded the demolition contract to Northeast Industrial Services of Shamokin, who bid $186,435 for demolishing and clearing the property.

DeWire said a $63,580 change order was accepted by the county, and that the borough still has $32,000 in the green.

“We’re nowhere near running out of funds,” DeWire said. “Our guess is a month from now, the building will be down.”

Demolition of the property at 135-139 N. First St. got underway April 4 after the project had been delayed while the contractor obtained a bond.

Rescuers have worked since February to remove feral cats from the building, but they said they have not gotten all of them.

DeWire said the project is expected to cost less than the budgeted amount, therefore the borough should have CDBG funding to allocate elsewhere in the borough.

At the end of February, an animal group had taken the lead on rescuing cats from the building as the borough and Carbon County were waiting for bond paperwork to be completed by the company contracted to do the work.

Alyson Andrews, a volunteer with Starting Over Animal Rescue, posted an update this past Saturday on Facebook.

“A large majority of the building has been demolished but it seems they have run into several issues and the work has come to a halt,” Andrews said. “There is a huge pile of rubble that the cats have started to inhabit.

“We are doing our best to continue to trap but it has been very difficult. We still have many of these cats in safe locations and are providing care for them.”

Andrews added, “Thankfully some are friendly and now up for adoption, but many are true feral cats. We are also feeding the cats that remain at the colony.”

However, Andrews said they “desperately need food and litter donations.”

Canned Friskies and Purina cat chow are preferred but any cat litter is acceptable. Food donations can be dropped off at Deezines Flowers & Gifts in Jim Thorpe, Carbon County Friends of Animals, Meraki Hair Studio.

The fund for trapping, neutering and releasing funds has run low so monetary donations are welcome.

She said to call the Rush Vet Center at 570-668-122 and donate to “Alyson Andrews TNR Fund.”

Andrews previously said on April 4 that there were at least 10 cats, if not more, believed to have been inside the building.

Andrews said at that time they were actively trapping every day, and had removed 27.

Andrews encouraged motorists who travel along the bypass and First Street to drive cautiously “in case they are running from the building.” She is concerned they’ll get hit by a car.

Andrews, of Mahoning Township, said four volunteers were actively trapping, and that they just trapped two cats a few days before the demolition began that were to have been spayed, neutered and vaccinated.

She said at that time their major concern was that it was prime kitten season and there would be babies born over there.

Andrews added they were looking for farms/barns who would be willing to take some of the cats who are not adoptable as a house pet.

She said they must meet their barn home criteria and can email at soarvolunteer@outlook.com for more information.