Demolition crew knocks down former Knights of Columbus hall in West Springfield

View Full Article WEST SPRINGFIELD - Workers from Associated Building Wreckers of Springfield take down the former Knights of Columbus Hall at t 64 Park Ave. in West Springfield. The site will be the new home of Arrha Credit Union.

(JIM KINNEY/ THE REPUBLICAN)

WEST SPRINGFIELD - A crew from Associated Building Wreckers of Springfield tore down the former Knights of Columbus Hall at 64 Park Ave. Tuesday morning to make way for a new branch of the Arrha Credit Union.

Knights of Columbus Unity Council 2212, faced with rising expenses and declining membership, sold the building to the credit union in May for $350,000.

Arrha Credit Union is the the former Springfield Teacher's Credit Union. It plans to close its Westfield branch and move it to the West Springfield location.

The land totals about six-tenths of an acre and the lot is about 400 feet deep, according to tax records on file with the city of West Springfield. It's assessed for $606,700.

A Catholic men's fraternity, the West Springfield Knights were founded in 1920 and bought the Park Avenue building, which fronts the West Springfield green, in 1924.

But maintenance headaches and a lack of rental income forced the knights to sell.

The Knights now host their meetings at the St. Thomas Church building a few blocks away on Route 20, also known as Westfield Street.