Consol Site Development Hearing Attracts Large Crowd

Developers who hope to convert to the site of the former Consol Energy Headquarters in Upper St. Clair into a mixture of residential and retail space faced off for more than three hours Tuesday with approximately 100 residents, most of whom are opposed to the plan.

The first public hearing before the Upper St. Clair Board of Commissioners was, at times, contentious with residents expressing concern about increased traffic, safety, and the process by which the planning commission approved the proposal.

The owner of the land, 1800 Washington Road Associates, is asking that the current special business district zoning be amended to allow residential and retail space.

Under the current special business district zoning, office buildings, banks and pharmacies are some of the allowed possibilities.

The amended ordinance could allow a maximum of 75 percent non-residential use which could include retails stores such as coffee shops, supermarkets and restaurants. Each building would not exceed 55,000 square feet of gross leasable space.

Developer Gerard Cipriani told commissioners, “rest assured, what we are trying to do will reduce traffic,” and pointed to a study which indicated traffic volume would be reduced when compared to the old use of the property as an office building. 

But several homeowners, such as Steve Wright, were skeptical, pointing to planned development on the other side of route 19.  “Right now, it’s pretty empty where the Kaufmann’s used to be,” he said. “But there’s going to be a Dick’s Sporting Goods over there, I understand and there’s going to be a Target added over there and I’d like to see what happens there first, before we add another retail development on the other side of the street.”

Homeowner Barry Austin added, “How in the heck can we have reduced traffic with Target coming in? This is disingenuous, and I think insulting to you gentlemen (the commissioners), and a little misleading to say that traffic is going to decrease.”

An attorney for the developer, Jim Whalen, also pointed to the increased tax revenue from such a plan, claiming “the average homeowner in this community would save $144.51, that’s what this project means to the residents of this community.” 

Austin was not impressed, “I can’t remember any government giving us money back,” he said.

If commissioners vote in favor of the text amendment, the rezoning would apply to all special business district zones in the township that have at least 25 acres of land, something that concerned homeowner Tom Donoghue. “ This is a very severe change of the text amendment,” he said. “I am not opposed to this development, but the township needs to be careful to consider the process of how we got here.” “I see this as a dangerous process.”

The text amendment would also require the applicant to submit a master plan, follow design guidelines, provide landscaping and open space, and additional setback requirements.

Homeowner Dorothy Davis was one of the last to speak, making an impassioned plea to the commissioners. “This is vitally important to our community,” she said. “We are not against development, we are for responsible development. I hope when you make this decision you think about mine and my neighbor’s back yard, and you don’t put in our back yards something you wouldn’t put in your own back yards.” 

The hearing ended with Cipriani’s partner, Al Kestler, insisting that the proposed changes will not allow for a big box tenant for a variety of reasons. “We are restricted by definition to 55,000 square feet per usable tenant,” he said. “But we are further limited by the imposition of green-space setbacks, and most significantly by the township’s parking requirements.”

Cipriani told the commissioners he has received dozens of inquiries from potential tenants, including Best Buy, but no final decisions have been made.

Another public hearing on the issue is scheduled for Monday, October 3rd at 7:30pm, again at the in anticipation of another large crowd. 

A number of residents who live near the Washington and Fort Couch Roads intersection have been speaking out against the rezoning. Click here for a link to an organized blog against the text amendment.