A study is underway that will determine the best use for a piece of property that Mt. Pleasant Borough received from the Levin family 10 years ago.
The 7.6-acre brownfield site on Bridgeport Street used to be home to the Bryce Brothers Glass Co., which became part of Lenox Crystal in the mid-1900s.
Levin Furniture later obtained the property and used the building as a warehouse. An arson in 1998 destroyed the warehouse, which had been mostly emptied after Levin moved to Fitz Henry in South Huntingdon.
The land donation was approved by borough council in 2008, triggering a lengthy process of environmental review.
In May, Duquesne-based environmental consultant KU Resources Inc. submitted a final assessment to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection saying that no cleanup of the site was necessary.
The Westmoreland County Redevelopment Authority now has hired KU Resources, in partnership with S. Patz & Associates, of Potomac Falls, Va., to complete a reuse study, which will determine the site’s economic development potential and result in a conceptual plan.
“I am excited to see what the market data has to say about the borough-owned site and its redevelopment potential,” said Jeff Landy, borough manager. “The borough is grateful for the partnership with the Redevelopment Authority and for the tools to evaluate future opportunities for our town.”
The study will evaluate, among other things, local market conditions, site characteristics and environmental conditions. The resulting plan will help the borough and the Redevelopment Authority determine the best uses for the property.
Landy has previously said that the borough wants to develop the site into the Levin Complex, which would house several businesses.
“Reuse plans identify viable options for economic growth and help communities make informed decisions,” said April Kopas, Redevelopment Authority executive director.
Funding for the $20,000 study will come from the EPA’s Brownfields Assessment Grant Program, which is administered by the Redevelopment Authority.
Stephen Huba is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Stephen at 724-850-1280, shuba@tribweb.com or via Twitter @shuba_trib.
