The long-vacant Penn‑McKee Hotel in downtown McKeesport is set to come down at last, with demolition crews scheduled to move in on Monday, city officials say. The teardown closes the chapter on a decades-long fight over the crumbling landmark and will shut a stretch of Fifth Avenue on weekdays while work continues for an estimated two to three months.
Mayor Tom Maglicco told Tube City Almanac that crews from Lutterman Excavating are slated to begin work Monday and that the project is expected to run 60 to 90 days. He said the city has roughly $1 million in grant funding, secured with help from the Young Preservationists Association and KU Resources, to pay for the job. Contractors will first remove asbestos and other hazardous materials before any heavy demolition starts.
Historic Landmark, Long Decline
The Penn‑McKee went up in 1925–26, designed by noted architect Benno Janssen. In its prime, it hosted a 1947 debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon and later served as the first home of the Community College of Allegheny County. The hotel eventually fell out of use, closed in 1985, and the city ultimately took title through a series of actions that wrapped up in 2019, according to reporting by PublicSource. Preservation attempts stretched on for years, but never landed enough money to stabilize the building.
Engineers, Grants And The Decision
City workshop minutes and planning presentations show that engineers and consultants concluded that chronic water damage and collapsing floors had left the interior structurally unsound and “a hindrance to any future development.” The May 1, 2024, meeting notes state the Redevelopment Authority secured state and federal grants for site abatement and demolition, and that consultants advised removing unstable sections so the parcel could be marketed for new construction, according to the City of McKeesport.
Preservationists React
Local preservationists have called the outcome painful, even as many of them ultimately backed cleanup and abatement funding. “It’s a very unfortunate outcome and it’s not what anybody wanted,” Matthew Craig of the Young Preservationists said. Tube City Almanac reports the group helped secure grant support and will now work with the city on what comes next.
What Comes Next
City officials say crews will save as many facade bricks as they can, then use the cleared lot as a temporary green space and host pop-up events while longer-term plans take shape. The May 2024 council notes describe a staged activation strategy, from concerts to seasonal programming, aimed at drawing people toward the marina district and building momentum for future redevelopment, according to the City of McKeesport.
