'Severely deteriorated': Why Hanover Wellness Center is closed until the building is fixed

HANOVER – A medical building remains closed after the discovery of an unsafe structural issue last week that led to the people inside being evacuated and the building’s occupancy permit revoked.

Construction crews at the Hanover Wellness Center at 20 East St. were working on building a new pool for Powers Aquatics, one of the building’s tenants, Wednesday, July 24, when they discovered several deteriorating columns that were used to aid support beams for the floor above the pool.

Building Commissioner Joseph Stack said the contractor contacted Stack's office right away, and he, in turn, called the building's owner to tell them they needed to hire a structural engineer.

“They hired one right away,” Stack said.

That engineer deemed the 34-year-old building unsafe on July 27, at which point the permit was revoked until the issues are fixed.

Stack said he couldn't predict the “if, what and when” of how long it might have taken for the corroded columns to cause damage to the building and injuries to its occupants, which includes a daycare, medical offices and other wellness-related businesses.

What is in the Hanover Wellness Center

Stack estimated somewhere between 250 and 300 people use the building each day.

“The columns were severely deteriorated and had been encased in concrete,” he said, which means the damage would not have been discovered in time if the construction work wasn’t going on.

The businesses in the building are: Hanover Podiatry: Dr. Michael Mitry; Stuart A. Liss, DMD, General/Cosmetic Dentistry; Donnelly Orthodontics: Jeff E. Donnelly; Anderson Physical Therapy; Hearing Healthcare Professionals; Wuotila Chiropractic; Rafay S. Mehdi, MD: Primary and Preventive Care, Inc; Hanover Family Eye Care; ALDA Aesthetics; South Shore Primary & Urgent Care (after hours and concierge medicine clinic); Home Helpers of South Shore; ConnectAbilities Inclusive Studio of the Arts; and SweetPeas Children's Center.

There were not any updates on the building as of Monday.

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How will the East Street building be repaired?

The short-term plans would involve shoring up the columns and isolating the risk so the rest of the building could be reoccupied as the problem is fully fixed.

Stack said the timeline for when that happens depends on the engineering report and how quickly remediation efforts can get underway.

He credited the contractor for calling right away and possibly averting a disaster down the road at the site.

“They performed a large public service here,” he said.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Hanover Wellness Center building closed for repairs: What to know