Monroe County approves $781,966 Act 152 demolition grant for Birch Street redevelopment site

Monroe County commissioners on April 15 approved an Act 152 demolition grant payment of $781,966 for property located at 460–500 Birch Street in East Stroudsburg, the site of the former International Boiler Works.

Michelle (redevelopment authority representative, speaker 11) told the board the property has been vacant since the early 1990s, was a brownfield with contamination that has been remediated, and has received prior redevelopment grants. She said two additional grants — $1,800,000 for redevelopment and a $180,000 Monroe LSA grant — are tied to the project and that this Act 152 approval will help preserve those funds. "This approval of this grant will help us keep that $1,800,000 in place, to do the demolition that needs to happen over there and prepare the site for a new use," Michelle said.

The borough owns the property and the county is partnering with the borough on redevelopment work. Commissioners moved and seconded the Act 152 payment approval; the motion carried by voice vote.

Redevelopment staff noted the RACB grant previously approved in 2017 could be at risk of recall by the Commonwealth without timely progress, and they framed demolition as a readiness step intended to attract a buyer or developer once the site is cleared.

The board’s approval included standard motion and voice‑vote confirmation; no roll‑call tally was recorded in the transcript. The redevelopment authority representatives said they will continue coordination with borough officials and state grant managers as the demolition project advances.