Lewisburg is getting almost $3 million in state and federal funding to buy out flood- damaged properties.
Linda Treese has been a realtor in Union County for 35 years. She has seen first hand what flooding has done to houses on South Sixth Street in Lewisburg.
"The furnaces always have to be replaced when the basements are full and it's just a real mess to go through, just getting things cleaned up," Treese said.
That wont be a problem for some properties on South Sixth Street anymore. Officials in Lewisburg announced the borough is getting almost $3 million in state and federal funding to buy and demolish ten houses along Limestone Run Creek, also known as Bull Run.
"They are really vulnerable, the most vulnerable in Lewisburg to flooding because of flash flooding potential as well as river back-up potential," said Daniel Greene.
Daniel Greene is the Elm Street Manager in Lewisburg. He said all of the properties are rentals and will be bought at market value. Treese's son owns one of the houses. She and her son believe the buy out is a good idea.
"The last couple of floods we've had mainly water to the top of the basements, but I've been through a few of them where there has been water up to the first floor," Treese said.
The project will prevent any future building on the properties, making them green spaces. Officials said this enables them to move forward with plans for a greenway corridor between Lewisburg and Bucknell University.
"We're hoping to redevelop the streetscape and make it more friendly for non-vehicular pedestrian and bicycle traffic, that type of thing," Greene said.
Greene said so far, all of the homeowners are on board. Officials plan to meet with them in late May. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2015.