River Forest owners optimistic about future
Herman Tomer remains optimistic about the future of River Forest despite financial problems, the loss of a developer and a sluggish housing market.
About 500 acres of the River Forest property, including the golf course and the wooded hillside intended for a large housing development, are to be auctioned March 1 during a Westmoreland County Sheriff's sale.
The listing is the result of a $3.9 million court judgment sought by PNC Bank against River Forest Estates, River Forest Golf Club and River Forest Partners — three limited liability companies that own the land bounded by Route 356 and the Allegheny River. Tomer serves as president.
In court documents, PNC Bank claims River Forest defaulted on a loan and a line of credit in July.
Tomer has said the situation is the result of refinancing required after PNC Bank took over National City Bank, the original holder of the loan.
"We remain confident we will reach a good settlement with PNC," Tomer said. "We're very confident that we won't be sold at sheriff's sale."
Even if Tomer reaches an agreement with PNC Bank to stave off the sheriff's sale, River Forest won't be out of the woods.
Tomer said S&A Homes, the State College-based developer which had joined with River Forest Partners to develop a 512-unit housing plan, no longer is involved in the project.
"S&A Homes — with the housing retraction — they pretty much pulled out of a lot of projects they had not started yet," Tomer said.
Steve Bisbee, S&A's manager for River Forest, did not respond to several requests for comment.
Tomer said the loss of S&A may not be permanent.
"We have a very good relationship with the owners of S&A Homes," Tomer said. "They have lot of interest in Western Pennsylvania. I think if the market comes back, they would be a very good candidate to be one of our builders."
Tomer said S&A never was intended to be the only partner, although S&A and River Forest were the only developers mentioned when township supervisors approved the planned residential development (PRD) in January 2007.
"We always have had plans for several types of homes, which would include several builders," Tomer said.
Tomer and Allegheny Township Manager Greg Primm said the approved PRD has expired.
To move forward, Primm said Tomer must submit new development plans and go through the approval process again. Primm said Tomer can resubmit the same plans.
Residents of the upscale neighborhood bordering the golf course are keeping a watchful eye on the situation.
Causing concern is recent timbering around the golf course and throughout the wooded hillside.
"It's pretty ugly," said Phyllis Framel, a River Forest resident for about 15 years. "I don't know how you can call something River Forest if there are no trees."
In addition to aesthetics, Framel said she worries about erosion and stormwater runoff from the timber removal, especially since the 50-or-so existing homes lie at the bottom of the hillside.
Tomer said the timbering resulted from a tree management program that began in 2002. He said consultants experienced in sustainable forestry and golf course architecture recommended the tree removal.
"They showed us how most of the trees we have on the upper course and the hillside had been damaged by a fire," Tomer said, perhaps in the 1950s, and likely caused by a coal-powered train using railroad tracks that once crossed the property.
"It was important that we continue to have a program to clear them out so young, new, healthy trees can grow," he said.
Tomer said poplar trees were that were damaging the course's greens also were removed.
"We also have a very active tree-planting program," Tomer said. "We are taking stuff down, but also replanting."
PNC Bank in late January was granted a temporary restraining order preventing further timbering while the property is in court proceedings.
Tomer said River Forest will weather the financial and legal difficulties, and development will move forward once the economy and housing market improve. More immediately, he's anticipating warm weather and the return of action at the course.
"We intend to have a fully operational and lively golf course running in the spring," Tomer said.
Additional Information:
History of River Forest
In addition to containing the sites of the former Garvers Ferry railroad station and a Civil War-era cemetery, the River Forest property has a long and interesting history.
1792: Native Americans raid a settlement here and kidnap pregnant homesteader Massey Harbison and kill several of her young children. Harbison later escapes and writes of her ordeal.
1902: Steel magnate Andrew Carnegie buys the land.
1908: The former Duncan Karns mansion that once stood here inspires American mystery author Mary Roberts Rinehart to write 'The Circular Staircase.'
1956: The land is sold to Allegheny Ludlum Steel Corp.
1965: Ludlum sells the property to Wynn Tredway, a golf course developer who intends to create a course and build homes.
1999: Tredway is stabbed to death in his home by his grandson, Wynn B. Tredway III, reportedly due to a family dispute over the sale of the land. The grandson commits suicide days later, shooting himself on the Freeport Bridge.
2000: Wynn Tredway's estate is sold to River Forest Partners, which included Herman Tomer and the brothers R. Gary and J. Rodney Duster, owners of a Tarentum funeral home.
2007: Allegheny Township Supervisors approve the preliminary design for a planned residential development ⢠presented by River Forest Partners and S&A Homes ⢠that is to include 512 townhouses and single-family homes. That plan has since expired.
2009: PNC Bank sues River Forest Partners for defaulting on a loan and line of credit totaling nearly $4 million.
