Sep 17, 2015 By Suzanne Elliott 2 min read

The South Fayette commission approved the sale of the former Star City movie theater to Horizon Properties, a major Southpointe developer.

The $5 million sale, however, came with several caveats. Solicitor Jonathan Kamin said Horizon will pay a traffic impact fee, the demolition costs, and build no more than one hotel on the 8.5-acre site that sits next to UPMC Children’s South on Miller’s Run Road. The two sides will split the property transfer tax.

The township has owned the property since 2009. The sale is subject to a final review by Kamin.

“All of the issues have been resolved,” Kamin told commissioners at the Sept. 16 meeting. “We’re pleased.”

Besides a hotel, Horizon is proposing constructing office and retail space on the site including a 30,000-square-foot office building and 10,000-to 15,000-square feet of restaurant and retail space. The facilities are expected to open in 18 to 24 months and add around $25 million worth of taxable property in South Fayette, according to township estimates.

In other action, the commission approved going ahead with plans to expand the community center located at the Morgan Municipal Complex, 515 Millers Run Road. Plans call for expanding the current 12,135 square foot building to 37,262 square feet. The library would be increased by three times its current size and two gymnasiums would be constructed. Phase 1 could include a new main entry lobby, as well as restrooms and personal changing rooms, an exercise class rooms and minor renovations to township offices and the police department. The project would be partially funded by the sale of the sale of the Star City property to Horizon.

On a separate matter, a federal lawsuit filed by commissioner J. Deron Gabriel against the township, as well as Ray Pitetti, Lisa Malosh, Jessica Cardillo-Wagenhoffer, and Joseph Horowitz had been settled. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

Gabriel filed the lawsuit in April against the commission and the township claiming his civil rights were violated when he was censured for allegedly seeking opinions from the township solicitor without consulting the other commissioners.

There will be a formal vote at the next commission meeting to formally withdraw the censure against Gabriel. The next scheduled meeting for the commission is Oct. 14.