Monroeville Assembly of God eyes opening campus in Penn Hills

Pastor Lance Lecocq is hoping to fill a void left in Penn Hills when the Three Rivers Assembly of God on Jefferson Road closed in June.

The Monroeville Assembly of God leader is asking Penn Hills to rezone a 22,600-square-foot building at 12012 Frankstown Road that used to house a supermarket from commercial to residential. The Pentecostal Christian church hopes to develop its fifth campus in the region on the property.

The church serves about 1,300 at locations in Monroeville, Lower Burrell, Arnold and Forest Hills.

“At our other campuses, we help people out with tangible needs, like food and clothing,” said Lecocq. “So that would definitely be a big part of what we have in mind in Penn Hills.”

The Penn Hills campus would have weekend services and house the third Sheep Inc. Health Care Center operated by the church. The Assembly of God now provides free health care services at clinics in Monroeville and Turtle Creek.

Lecocq said the church's purchase of the vacant building hinges on receiving the zoning change.

“But we fully intend on planting a church in Penn Hills, even if this doesn't work out on this property,” he said.

Aldi bought the building in 2015 as part of a $15 million sale of 66 Bottom Dollar grocery stores across three states. Aldi never opened a store at the location. The building is worth $1.1 million, according to Allegheny County real estate records.

The Penn Hills planning commission will meet April 26 to consider the zoning change. Council will vote on the rezoning at its May 7 meeting at the municipal building, 12245 Frankstown Road.

Dillon Carr is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 412-871-2325, dcarr@tribweb.com or via Twitter @dillonswriting.