Father, son eager to move in Habitat for Humanity house
Bryan Heyl hopes Christmas comes early this year.
After spending more than a year waiting for the finished product, Heyl, 46, of Arnold and his adopted son, Jesse Heyl, 26, plan to close within the next two weeks on the home Habitat for Humanity Allegheny Valley built at 1364 Fifth Ave.
"That's all the gift I need," Bryan Heyl said. He plans to sign the final paperwork by Dec. 15 so he and his son can complete the move from their current home about two blocks away.
The local Habitat chapter hosted an open house on Sunday at the one-story home, which also features a basement and back yard.
The house was built to offer three bedrooms, although Heyl decided to have one of the bedrooms converted into a wash room. He used distressed porch posts from the house that formerly sat on the lot as molding for the closet in his bedroom. He also found solid-wood doors from an old convent in Freeport he decided to use in the house.
"I like old things," Heyl said of the used material, which he found at Habitat's ReStore along Industrial Boulevard in New Kensington.
Habitat requires prospective homeowners to volunteer with the organization. Heyl said he was required to log at least 350 "sweat equity hours," although he and his son "put in a lot more time than that."
Jesse Heyl started volunteering at the ReStore about a year ago and worked his way into a paying job as the store's manager.
He said he's looking forward to his new neighborhood along the city's main street.
"It's actually really quiet down here and the neighbors are very nice," he said.
Diane Belitskus, the chapter's executive director, said it took longer than planned to finish the house because at times the organization was low on money and skilled volunteers.
Belitskus said the chapter doesn't have immediate plans for another construction project but will focus on renovating homes and offering small home repairs through the national organization's A Brush with Kindness program.
Additional Information:
How to help
To donate to Habitat for Humanity Allegheny Valley, send checks to HFHAV, 1172 Industrial Blvd., New Kensington, PA 15068.
