Washington County commissioners have approved an agreement to buy the former Western Center property in Cecil Township.
The three commissioners unanimously approved an agreement this morning to buy the 225 acres from the state, and develop it through the county Redevelopment Authority.
The land adjoins the Southpointe business, residential and golf community, also former state land developed by the authority.
The Western Center site has been appraised at $9.5 million; the sale price to the county would be $2 million.
Now, the land must be officially turned over to the county through an act of legislation, likely sponsored by the legislators who count the land as part of their districts - state Rep. Vic Lescovitz, a Midway Democrat, and state Sen. J. Barry Stout, a Bentleyville Democrat.
The land previously was the site of an institution for the mentally retarded, which closed in 2000.
