Commissioners make decisions on commercial developments
SF addresses commercial developments
{child_byline}By Jacob Calvin Meyer
Staff writer
jmeyer@thealmanac.net
{/child_byline}
As one commercial development in South Fayette took a step forward at the township commissioners’ meeting Feb. 21, another took a step backward.
The step forward was at Newbury Market, where commissioners quickly approved a preliminary plan and final land development for Carvana, an online car dealership.
Customers can shop at Carvana.com, where they search for their car by viewing 360-degree photo technology. Once purchased, customers can choose to have the car delivered or visit one of Carvana’s car “vending machines,” which will be a feature at the Newbury site.
Chris Santone, the director of real estate at Carvana, spoke to the board about the plans at Newbury Market. Santone said Carvana has been delivering cars to South Fayette since last year, and the company is excited to install its eighth car vending machine in Newbury Market.
“This area here is going to see a lot of new development,” Santone said. “We like the surrounding demographics and the visibility from the interstate is a key for us. (South Fayette) checked a lot of boxes for us.”
Santone said Carvana has been delivering cars to the area since “late last year.”
“We’re excited to offer the opportunity for customers to come pick it up here in South Fayette. It’s been a good market for us so far,” he said.
Despite the good news at Newbury Market, the Star City development hit another stumbling block as the commissioners reluctantly denied two requests for proposal – one from Burns & Scalo Equities, LLC, and the other from Continental Real Estate Companies.
“I was kind of underwhelmed by both bids at this point,” Commissioner Joseph Horowitz said. “Both of them were sort of ideas that may not work out.”
The $1.5 million bid from Burns & Scalo was for a restaurant outlet called “The Piazza.” The RFP proposed to put five “national or super-regional restaurants” in the 8.2 acre parcel.
The $2.8 million bid from Continental planned to put a senior housing community in the Star City lot. With Continental proposing the high bid, Horowitz said he doesn’t believe the Star City site is the “best place for a retirement home.”
“I think they’re a great asset to the community, but I just don’t know about right there,” he said.
Horowitz then recommended the board reject both bids and reassess the Star City lot.
“My recommendation at this point would be to reject all the bids and maybe come up with some sort of study for that land and find a best use for it,” he said. “Maybe when we do that, we can come up with better specifications so it can attract the kind of development we want there.”
After voting unanimously to reject both bids, the board then approved the township to create a new RFP to be approved by the board and released at a future date.
Also during the meeting:
- The board added three people – Jason Mount, Barb Senatore and Mary Chambon – to the township’s parks and recreation board.
- The board appointed R.F. Mitall & Associates as the interim township engineer. Mike Benton, the previous township engineer, died from cancer last month.