Fate of Mt. Lebanon lot still in limbo
Mt. Lebanon commissioners have given Zamiagas Properties until April to firm up plans for a vacant lot along Washington Road. At its Dec. 9 meeting, commissioners asked Zamiagas COO David Martens to return by the spring of 2015 with specific zoning language his firm would require to proceed with a development project.
Zamiagas purchased the property with the help of a tax-incremented financing plan, or TIF, in 2007. The developer originally intended to build high-end condominiums on the property, but it abandoned the project during the recession that followed in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis.
Since then, the development project has remained in limbo (and the property an eyesore), with the Mt. Lebanon Commission granting Zamiagas repeated extensions to develop the land.
The sales agreement includes a buy-back provision that the municipality has so far refused to exercise.
Martens said Zamiagas was about “eighty percent” finished with plans to build Georgetown-style townhomes and condominiums on the site, but that zoning issues were preventing it from moving forward.
“We didn’t appeal your zoning board decision because we didn’t receive feedback that indicated we should go through the appeals process,” Martens said. “We spent a good deal of money putting the plans together and were reluctant to spend even more appealing to the courts.”
On the balance, both commissioners and municipal staff remained skeptical of Zamiagas’ position.
Commissioner John Bendel asked where exactly the project fell on the firm’s priority list.
Martens reiterated that while the Washington Road development would not be extraordinarily profitable, Zamiagas felt it would be successful and remained interested in moving forward. Economic conditions have improved considerably in recent years and that the property location remains attractive – partly due to its proximity to a T station.
Martens added that Zamiagas would not require any additional TIF-like assistance to make the project profitable.
Solicitor Phil Weis pressed even harder, however, asking what, specifically, Zamiagas needed to move forward. “If the commission were to re-zone the property, how exactly do you need the text to read?” he said bluntly.
Before Martens could reply, commissioner Kelly Fraasch called an executive session.
Several minutes later commissioners, Weis and municipal manager Steve Feller returned to the meeting. It was at that point Feller suggested Zamiagas present a specific proposal for zoning language in April. In the meantime, commissioners have approved an eighth extension to the purchase agreement with Zamiagas, through Dec. 31, 2015.