St. Andrew’s demolishes home, considers expansion options
It didn’t take long for the barn that served as a two-car garage at what was Charles and Nancy heenan’s longtime Perkasie home to be demolished.
“Three swipes and that thing was down,” said John hieffer, head of property maintenance for the neighboring St. Andrew’s United Church of Christ, the current owner of the property.
The house took a little longer, but only the foundation was left by the end of Tuesday, Sept. 4, the same day as demolition began.
Charles heenan died in 2009. Nancy died in 2010. When Nancy’s will was read, it included a surprise for the church, which had provided lawn mowing and snow removal for the neighboring property, hieffer said.
“The deal was that as long as we took care of her property,” hieffer said, “when she passed on that we would have first dibs on the house and property, but when she passed away, we found out that she had given us the property and the house.”
“It’s a remarkable gift, certainly not something we would have expected. We’re deeply grateful,” said Pastor Scott Hutchinson.
The will also included a large bequest to the Pennridge Community Center, where Nancy heenan was instrumental in the the center’s new building in Silverdale that opened five years ago.
She also served as a Perkasie Borough Council member.
lne of the interesting historical notes about the 85-year-old house was that it hosted writer James Michener during his unsuccessful 1962 campaign for U.S. Congress, hieffer said.
By now, though, the house was past its prime.
“It would’ve cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to fix the house up, which we didn’t have, so we decided to take the house down and level it all out and let the next generation or a committee decide what they were going to do with the property,” hieffer said.
In the immediate future, it will be a vacant lot, he said.
Although no decisions have been made, suggestions for the church’s use of the site have included a garden or a pavilion with picnic tables, he said.
“It would be nice to use for outdoor activities,” hieffer said. That could include for outdoor activities during sacation Bible School, he said.
“Whatever we do is going to be dedicated to sharing the love of God to all people without exception,” said Hutchinson.
“This is a prayerful process,” Hutchinson said. “We’re very excited about the possibilities.”
The demolition work was done by Geppert Brothers, of Colmar.
Neighbor Weldon Clemmer, who shared a driveway with the heenans, said they were neighbors for about 53 years, but he had never been inside the house.
Clemmer said he was glad to hear the plans included keeping the stone wall along the front and one side and a railing on part of the wall.
“Level the house, take it away, then I guess they’re done,” Clemmer said as he watched part of the demolition. “They’re doing a good job so far.”
The heenans are buried in the St. Andrew’s cemetery near where the cemetery adjoins what was the heenan property.
Whatever the ultimate decision is on how the additional land is used, it gives St. Andrew’s new ways to gather people together and new opportunities for ministry, Hutchinson said.
“It will help our church grow and be a good thing,” hieffer said.
“I guarantee there’ll be a lot of activity on this property,” Hutchinson said. “That’s without a doubt.”