Who wants to buy a used prison toilet?
Judging by the volume of calls auctioneer Bill Anderson has received about the sink-and-toilet combos that are being auctioned from the former state prison in Hempfield, some people are considering the purchase.
“The county put out the legal notice for the auction about 60 days ago, and you wouldn’t believe how many people are calling to ask about those toilet-sink combos,” Anderson said. “I’m not sure if people want them for their man cave or what. It’s going to be an interesting auction.”
The auction consists of nearly 650 lots. They range from commonplace items such as tools and signage to unique things such as the sink-toilet combos as well as a 6-by-6-foot banner celebrating the Department of Corrections basketball team from SCI Greensburg that won the league’s 1995-96 state championship.
“When I went in there and started looking around, I started thinking this was going to be a fun auction,” Anderson said. “There are so many different things in there.”
There are speed limit signs, speakers from the prison’s public address system, private security uniforms, tool chests and much more.
Those who are security-minded can bid on a variety of sizes of window bars. There are several fire hoses with reels and brackets up for sale, as well as tools including a hydraulic lift, 8-inch drill press, an arc welder and more socket-wrench sets than any one person could possibly need.
A preview of the lots will take place at the former prison on South Grande Boulevard from 1 to 4 p.m. May 21. The online auction begins closing that day at 7 p.m.
For more, see BAndersonAuctions.hibid.com or call 724-327-3344.
Hempfield officials bought the former state prison in 2023 and plan to work with the Westmoreland County Industrial Development Corporation to demolish the complex.
The medium-security prison was originally built to hold 900 inmates and employed 360 people. It closed in June 2013, with state officials citing maintenance costs and a declining inmate population as reasons for the closure. It has been vacant since.
Patrick Varine is a TribLive reporter covering Delmont, Export and Murrysville. He is a Western Pennsylvania native and joined the Trib in 2010 after working as a reporter and editor with the former Dover Post Co. in Delaware. He can be reached at pvarine@triblive.com.