BLOOMSBURG -- Work began on Tuesday to clean up the Moose Exchange in Bloomsburg after fire damaged the building at the end of January.
The property had been used for small businesses, artists, and clubs that rented space.
The executive director of the Moose Exchange hopes renovations to the building in Bloomsburg will be done within a year. For now he has opened a temporary location right down the street.
Only the construction crew and members are allowed inside the Moose Exchange on Main Street in Bloomsburg until it's completely safe.
"It's a mess, it's just a mess."
Pictures show what it looks like inside. Crews just started to clean up the black debris and damage caused by a fire that scorched the building in January.
Executive director of the Moose Exchange Oren Helbok says the cleanup will take 60 days.
"(Once it's done) then we can get the architects and engineers in to see what it will really take to re-open," Helbok said.
He says he's determined to reopen as soon as possible
"I would hope that we will be back within a year, but that's just a guess."
While that building is getting cleaned up, some of the businesses that were inside the Moose Exchange are still up and running in Bloomsburg. Thanks to community support, a portion of the Moose Exchange has moved up road to a new location called the Antler.
"The Antler, the space has been donated to us. We're paying utilities, but they are giving us the space."
Community and business owners says they are looking forward to having the landmark back in its original location
"It needs to be rebuilt and the community is really committed to doing that," said business owner Dwayne Heisler.
"It brings a lot to the town. There's not that much to do here, so every little helps," said Frank Robbins of Bloomsburg.
"Anything new would be nice around here," said Bloomsburg student Logan Daley.
Helbok says he's received monetary donations from the community and has received plenty of support from the town. He plans to invite the businesses that were pushed out of the building back to the Moose Exchange once it re-opens.