Owner of Harris Boyer Building promises demolition by end of month

Updated: Monday, July 7 2014, 06:57 PM EDT

By: Maria Miller

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. -- The demolition of a notorious building in Johnstown's West End that's been blighted for years was promised Monday by the end of the month.

"We smelled the gobs baking and the bread baking and it was great," said Cassy Sojak, who lives across the street from the building.

That's the way neighbors remember the onetime bakery, now a blighted building that's been on 6 News dozens of times in recent years. Most people know it as the former Harris Boyer Building. It's been considered an eyesore and a safety hazard for years.

Just a few months ago, its owner said it would be coming down. Neighbors told 6 News then they didn't believe it, saying they had been given empty promises for years. But on Monday, the owner's attorney made a new promise.

Owner John Hrivnak was in court Monday for the 16th time, fighting a pending lawsuit by the city for code violations dating back to 2011.

"It takes time to put into place all of the steps that are necessary before you can achieve the goal, which is demolition, said Johnstown attorney David Weaver, who represents Hrivnak.

"It's just run down. We've seen rats, stray cats, everything over there," Sojak said.

"We're concerned that the hazard and the eyesore and the dysfunctional structure be demolished for the benefit of everybody," Weaver said.

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Owner of Harris Boyer Building promises demolition by end of month