SUNBURY - Sheldon and Frances Bernstein moved to Sunbury 52 years ago from New York City and immediately fell in love with their new hometown.
"It was the place to be; it was bustling. If you couldn't buy it in Sunbury, you didn't need it," Frances, 77, said Friday afternoon.
The Bernsteins lamented that the city isn't what it used to be, but they and others were also speaking of new hope as they took part in an open house at 202 Washington Ave. - the first new home to be built in the city in 10 years.
Revitalizing the housing market and fighting blight are key steps toward a new Sunbury, said Jeff Balestrini, a member of the city's redevelopment authority board. He said the Washington Avenue property, which has been vacant since 2004, was acquired by the city after in its aggressive approach to fight blight.
"The roof was collapsing. There was mold all over and there were rodents living here," he said.
A Sunbury resident, who chose to remain anonymous, fronted the money to tear the original house down and have Icon Legacy Custom Modular Homes, of Selinsgrove, build the new two-story structure in its place, Balestrini said.
The goal of the project is to show city residents that leaders are committed to fighting blight, he said.
"We're putting homeowners on notice that they have to abide by the rules," he said. "We want to enhance the image of the city and improve the quality of life."
Auction today
The house "looks very nice," Frances said. "It's roomy and it looks well built. It's perfect."
Sheldon, 81, said it was curiosity that brought them to the open house, and he was pleased with what he saw.
"We live eight blocks from here (on Greenough Street). I'm happy to see it," he said. "If another house gets back on the tax roll, it's a great idea. It's a heck of a lot better than letting houses decay and fall apart."
The purpose of the open house, held from 3 to 7 p.m., was to entice potentials buyers to purchase the home at the auction, set for 10 a.m. today.
The house has approximately 2,100 square feet of living area, including 1 1/2 baths, stainless steel appliances, two gas furnaces and a large basement.
The opening bid will be $150,000, and the money generated from the sale will be placed back into the redevelopment account for further projects, Balestrini said.
Through this approach in the last six months, the city has acquired at least five houses and demolished two.