Former Hagerstown hardware store to be condemned after part of facade falls in street

Julie E. Greene, The Herald-Mail

No one was hurt Sunday when part of the former Startzman's Hardware store's facade fell onto South Potomac Street and the sidewalk, according to Hagerstown Deputy Fire Chief Adam Hopkins.

Hagerstown Fire was alerted at 1:58 p.m. Sunday for a "reported explosion" in the 700 block of South Potomac Street, Hopkins wrote in a text to The Herald-Mail.

Firefighters did not find an explosion, but found part of the former hardware store had collapsed into the street.

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Hagerstown Fire Department firefighters check out the former Startzman's Hardware store on Sunday afternoon after what appears to be part of the facade collapsed onto South Potomac Street and the sidewalk.
Hagerstown Fire Department firefighters check out the former Startzman's Hardware store on Sunday afternoon after what appears to be part of the facade collapsed onto South Potomac Street and the sidewalk.

About a 15-foot to 20-foot area along the roof line had a high parapet wall that collapsed, Hopkins wrote.

The debris landed on the entryway roof, the sidewalk and the southbound side of South Potomac Street, per pictures submitted to The Herald-Mail by Andrew Schotz.

One of the pictures showed a drone over the former store's roof line with a firefighter checking out one of the front doors.

Hagerstown Police assisted with the drone, officials said.

Former Startzman's Hardware to be condemned

A drone is seen just above the roof line of the former Startzman's Hardware store on Sunday after part of the facade collapsed onto the sidewalk and South Potomac Street. Hagerstown firefighters were on the scene.
A drone is seen just above the roof line of the former Startzman's Hardware store on Sunday after part of the facade collapsed onto the sidewalk and South Potomac Street. Hagerstown firefighters were on the scene.

Paul Fulk, neighborhood services manager for the City of Hagerstown, wrote in an email Monday morning that the building would be condemned later Monday. The building will remain condemned until it is evaluated by a structural engineer.

Officials also will evaluate Monday whether to close the nearby sidewalk and parking spaces. As of Monday morning, Fulk said the street would remain open.

The damage was at 775 S. Potomac St., Hopkins said.

The structure's address is listed with state property records as 773-775 S. Potomac St.

Hagerstown firefighters check out the former Startzman's Hardware store in the 700 block of South Potomac Street after part of the facade collapsed Sunday onto the street and sidewalk.
Hagerstown firefighters check out the former Startzman's Hardware store in the 700 block of South Potomac Street after part of the facade collapsed Sunday onto the street and sidewalk.

Startzman's, which opened in 1959, closed in late 2018.

The property was sold in 2019, according to the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation's website.

The property has been vacant since 2019, Fulk wrote.

The current owner of the property is Infinite Design and Remodeling MD Inc., which is based in Silver Spring, Md., according to property records.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Part of former Startzman's Hardware in Hagerstown falls onto street

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