Eldred Township is moving closer to clearing away the former Smale house adjacent to the Stone Arch Bridge.

The supervisors determined earlier this year that the house needed to come down, because the level of mold is too great for remediation.

Township administrator David Anderson said the supervisors accepted bids from three companies to do the demolition work. The companies were: Bruce George Paving and Excavating Inc. in Kunkletown with a bid of $23,800; Brodhead Site Contracting LLC in Brodheadsville at $18,725; and Steven R. Kresge in Kunkletown at $14,400.

In a 2-0 vote, the supervisors selected excavation contractor Steven R. Kresge during their meeting in late October. One supervisor abstained due to a personal relationship with the company, Anderson said.

The scope of the demolition project includes the following:

• The contractor must demolish and remove all debris from the structure, except for the existing foundation and concrete porch. They are to be kept intact as much as possible to 1 foot below grade. The flower garden and concrete pads for the picnic tables also are not to be disturbed.

• The debris must be disposed of properly in a landfill or recycled/repurposed, and the disposal must be verified with a receipt.

• The contractor is responsible for obtaining all permits, erosion control and any other requirements from local authorities.

• The contractor does not have to do any surveying, lay out, stake out, drawings, testing or inspections. Similarly, there is no asbestos removal needed because that was already completed. The Eldred Township Public Works Department will confirm that all utilities have been disconnected.

• Work is to be done between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday within 90 days of the bid being awarded.

• And the quote was to include backfilling, final grading and seeding. Eldred Township is providing backfill material at the municipal building, 490 Kunkletown Road, which the contractor will haul with its equipment.

Anderson said the demolition will occur sometime over the next month or two.

“The fire company will use it for training, then it will be fully taken down and cleaned up by the end of December,” Anderson said. He expects the building will “go down fast.”

Future plans for the site are still being worked out.

“We are waiting on any final decision on what to do with the park, but we are taking suggestions for what the community may want there,” Anderson said.