Former Mt. Lebanon PNC building eyed for development
A developer is looking to reuse the former PNC Bank building on Cochran Road in Mt. Lebanon.
Cozza Enterprises LLC of Collier Township, the company owned by regional developer Craig Cozza, recently purchased the property, which is next to the Virginia Manor Shops near Cochran’s intersection with Greentree Road, for retail use. Along with the existing structure, plans call for a second building to be constructed along the steep hillside at the rear of the property.
The Mt. Lebanon Planning Board on Aug. 25 voted to table Cozza’s request for preliminary approval of a land development plan, calling for the developer to address issues raised by municipal engineers and residents who live near the site.
A potential tenant is a national coffee retailer, and traffic generated during peak morning time could reach an estimated 200 vehicles per day, according to information presented at the meeting.
Mike Haberman, traffic engineer for Gateway Engineers, expressed concern about vehicles turning left off heavily traveled Cochran Road, which narrows to a single westbound lane near the entrance to the property. Widmer Engineering Inc. conducted a traffic assessment at the site for Cozza, but Haberman recommended a “higher-level traffic study.”
Tony Sadaka, manager with Widmer, contended that his firm’s assessment should be sufficient and that traffic generated by the site would have a “minute impact compared with what a Walmart would do.”
Plans call for improvements to access and egress, including flattening and widening the existing entrance and building a new right-turn-only access point on the side of the property closest to the Virginia Manor Shops.
Residents who spoke at the planning board meeting also discussed traffic concerns.
“Cochran Road has absolutely never been worse. It’s constantly packed with traffic,” Karen Frank of Colony Circle said, agreeing that the situation should be studied further.
John Lisowski, another Colony Circle resident, further pointed out the potential for traffic problems.
“I can tell you, it’s a very dangerous situation,” he said. “There’s going to be accidents. Trust me.”
He also noted the potential for additional noise with an influx of retailers.
“When it was a bank, I could live with it, because the bank closed at 4 o’clock,” Lisowski said.
Cozza, whose development projects include Rite Aid stores in and near Mt. Lebanon, gave reassurances to the residents.
“We are a very community-based developer,” he said. “We want to make sure we do everything right.”
For example, the intent is to “make it a green project,” Cozza said, with plans calling for improved stormwater management. That includes the installation of permeable pavers, similar to those being used in the Mt. Lebanon High School renovation, that help mitigate the runoff of water.
In addition to appearing again before the planning board for land development plan approval, Cozza’s project has numerous steps to go in the overall process, including seeking approval for grading on the property and for construction of the second building. Also needed are highway occupancy permits from the state Department of Transportation.
Cozza said the chiropractic center that has been a longtime tenant in the existing building plans to remain.