The State Bureau of Forestry office, situated in North Mainheim Township close to Cressona for more than four decades now, is to relocate out of the county altogether in 2013, according to state forester Frank P Snyder.
“It’s going to be a big office, and they’re going to give it a new name,” Snyder, who works for the state’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources in Cressona, says. “In the past we just called it the district forest office, but it will be called a “resource management center complex’.” The 62 year old has been working at the District 18 Bureau of Forestry office, which is situated at 141 Gordon Nagle Trail, for nearly forty years since 1974.
The one-storey office building went up over 50 years ago back in 1961, with a garage being added 30 years ago in 1982, the online Schuylkill Parcel Locator claims. The existing office is 2755 square feet, with the garage being 3200 feet, according to Snyder. “We’re kind of crushed,” he admits. “It’s a tight fit in here.”
A crew of no less than 25 workers from Lobar Construction in Dillsburg began building the framework for the two new buildings at the new location the office will move to on Wednesday. The new site is situated around a mile to the north of the border of Schuylkill County, just off Route 42 on the north end of Aristes, which is located in Columbia County. Construction started back in June and is expected to finish in the same month next year, after which the relocation will begin.
Lance Grooms