Bailey Park renovation being put out for bids
Bids are being sought for the final phase of renovations at Bailey Park.
The work will include a new concession stand and restroom facility as well as a new press box. K2 Engineering is preparing the bid specifications. Mark Rafail, executive director of the Uniontown Redevelopment Authority, said funding for the project is coming from grants to Uniontown and to the Miracle League, a nonprofit group dedicated to provide opportunities for children and adults with disabilities to play organized baseball.
“The money that we do have will cover everything,” Rafail said. “City employees will be doing some of the preparation work.”
Rafail said a local company has also offered to make some final improvements to the field itself, properly grading and smoothing the surface.
“It should all be done by the end of the summer. They’ll be able to utilize both fields all summer, even during this work,” Rafail said.
The first phase of the renovation was done last year, with the installation of new lighting, electrical system and fencing.
Authority board member John Ptak questioned why the project is taking so long to complete if funding is available. Rafail noted that the bid process adds several months to each phase of the work, especially because federal funding is being used and pre-approval is needed at each step.
The authority also voted to sell several vacant parcels in the city where dilapidated houses had been demolished. In each case, the land is being sold to a neighboring property owner. In one instance two parcels on Butler Street are being given to the East End United Community Center for $10 plus the cost of all legal fees, transfer fees and related costs. The lots are diagonally across the street from the community center.
“They are going to use this land for a garden and play area,” Rafail said. “They may put a pavilion up.”
Rafail said it cost the city between $45,000 and $50,000 to clear the lots, but recouping the money was never anticipated.
“We saw it as a blighted area and tearing it down was an improvement to the community,” Rafail said. “It costs us money each month to keep these properties and to maintain them.”
Funding for the demolition came from a grant from the state Department of Community and Economic Development.
The other properties are being sold for fair market value as appraised by Coldwell Banker, the authority’s real estate agent, and will return to the tax rolls after the sales. They are located at 113 Collins Ave., which is being sold to Kicreh Investments for $2,000 plus all legal fees, and 40-42 North Gordon St., which is being sold to Joyce and John Brown for $4,695, including all legal and transfer fees.
The board authorized Rafail to negotiate with property owners in the East End, Lafayette and Gallatin Avenue neighborhoods to purchase dilapidated properties for rehabilitation or demolition. The properties are being identified from a list being developed by the city’s property maintenance inspector.
In other matters, the authority board voted to move its meetings from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month, meeting in the upstairs conference room of City Hall.