Authority advances plans to develop more acreage in business park
Taking the first step to develop 50 more acres in its Route 40 business park, the Fayette County Redevelopment Authority on Tuesday hired McMillen Engineering Inc. to draw up those plans. Executive Director Raymond C. Polaski told his board that the firm owned by Terry McMillen was a logical choice among six finalists. Polaski said that in addition to drawing up the engineering and development plans for Phase 1 of the park, McMillen also serves as engineer for South Union Township.
“Terry has done a good job for us in Phase 1,” said Polaski of a component that covers 23.5 acres fronting New Salem Road and Route 40. Phase 2 extends that development back toward the planned Matthew Drive extension to Duck Hollow Road that essentially runs through the middle of the 277-acre business park.
Expanding on a comment from board member Paul Bortz Jr., Polaski noted that McMillen “found considerable additional acreage” in the Phase 1 development by moving proposed roads and altering other plans to maximize sellable property.
Polaski said the Phase 2 development carries an estimated $1.2 million price tag to add needed infrastructure such as roads, water and sewerage lines, and other utilities. He added that McMillen’s fee would be 9.5 percent, which comes in at $120,080 based on the project’s estimated cost.
“Terry’s (fee) is probably right in the middle (of the pack of finalists),” said Polaski, who stressed that it made sense to hire McMillen for purposes of continuity of the fledgling development.
County Commissioner Sean M. Cavanagh has repeatedly referred to the Route 40-New Salem Road area as the indisputable “hot spot” of economic development in the county. He and Commissioners Ronald M. Nehls and Vincent A. Vicites have strongly supported the redevelopment authority’s efforts to make productive use of the former county home property.
Redevelopment authority board Chairman Kenneth Finney agreed with Polaski that it makes sense to continue with McMillen, given his intimate knowledge of how the authority wishes to progress.
“I’m sure he’ll do a good job, as he has in the past,” said Finney.
The motion to hire McMillen passed unanimously, garnering yes votes from board members Finney, Bortz, Ross DiMarco, Jim Woleslagle and Charles Cieszynski.
In related news, Polaski said that “grubbing,” or removal of underbrush, on the park’s slope side to Route 40 has given motorists a fine view of the terrain of the park’s interior. “It almost shocks you – you can see clean into the business park,” he said.
The first five street lights in Phase 1 are ready for installation, added Polaski, who noted that South Union Township would be responsible for their upkeep.
Across Route 40, Polaski said the authority is closing in on the Feb. 27 deadline for potential developers to submit plans for 31 acres on the North Union Township side of the highway.
Although that parcel was conditionally sold to Null Land Co. two years ago, the deal fell through and the property recently went back on the market.
Since the authority must receive fair market value for any land sale, Cieszynski asked if the appraisal from two years ago would be valid. It set the value of the North Union Township property, which lacks basic infrastructure, at $20,000 per acre.
Polaski said that given the ongoing development in the general area – including the Super 8 Motel and other projects spearheaded by the authority – it would be hard to argue that the land value is any less.
The board also briefly discussed the pressing need to find a better and more trademark name for what is generically known as the Fayette County Business Park. Polaski said a prior outreach effort failed to generate a name that was unique or catchy enough.
Polaski said that the authority might sponsor a naming contest through area schools, offering a U.S. savings bond to the student who submits any winning entry.