Jan 5, 2003 By Paul Sunyak 4 min read

Providing a boost for economic development, the Fayette County commissioners will vote Monday to expend $400,000 of bond money to extend Matthew Drive across New Salem Road into the fledgling Fayette County Business Park. The move also paves the way for more imminent development by the Widewaters Uniontown Co. LLC. that includes a 200-job Home Depot on the more established side of New Salem Road, said Commissioner Sean M. Cavanagh.

“We’re at the threshold here and we’re ready to take the ball to the goal line,” Cavanagh said of a two-year process that has included extensive high-level negotiations. “This critical financial assistance of $400,000 will help bring an initial 200 jobs to our area and (will) enhance the tax base of South Union Township, Fayette County and the Laurel Highlands School District.”

Cavanagh added that in anticipation of this breakthrough, he’s been working with U.S. Rep. John Murtha (D-Johnstown) to acquire “special funding” from the federal government to speed development of the business park.

He called the park, located on former county home property, a “vital economic development project.”

The vote will take place at a special meeting scheduled for 10:45 a.m. in the commissioners’ conference room on the first floor of the county courthouse.

South Union Township Supervisor Robert Schiffbauer said the county’s $400,000 contribution would provide the bulk of the $500,000 to $600,000 needed to extend Matthew Drive into the business park and connect it to an already existing stretch of Wayland Smith Drive, the park’s main traffic artery.

“It sets everything in motion for everybody,” said Schiffbauer, referring to development on both sides of New Salem Road near Route 40. He said that besides the much-anticipated Home Depot, Widewaters initially plans to build a mid-sized store of 60,000 to 70,000 square feet, “quite possibly a grocery store,” plus a maximum of six new eateries.

Cavanagh and Schiffbauer said the county’s contribution is part of a $3.65 million highway infrastructure improvement plan that includes $1.6 million from Widewaters and $1.45 million from the state Department of Transportation.

That money will fund upgrades that include improving four intersections: where New Salem Road meets Route 40, the Route 40 entrance to Uniontown Mall, and the north and south ramps where Route 40 connects to the Uniontown bypass.

Schiffbauer said those improvements are needed to win PennDOT approval for issuing further highway occupancy permits in the New Salem Road-Route 40 area. What was needed to get those permits – and how to pay for required highway improvements – was the subject of intense and ongoing negotiations between Widewaters, PennDOT, South Union Township, and the county and its redevelopment authority.

Commission Chairman Vincent A. Vicites said the special meeting was scheduled for Monday because the commissioners needed to act by Jan. 10 and were postponing by a week their regularly scheduled meetings.

Vicites said the commissioners long ago made a commitment to support economic development, a pledge that included $2 million for the business park, $1 million of which has already been expended.

Vicites called the $400,000 for extending Matthew Drive “a wise thing to do,” to ensure that the Widewaters project can proceed immediately and start bringing more jobs to the area.

“I think we’ve showed our vision and leadership by building the infrastructure that’s necessary to advance the park,” said Vicites. “The extension of that road opens the park up to numerous opportunities for business/commerce type of development.”

Vicites said the commissioners had always planned to build the road extension, but doing so now opens up the business park to development “to a much greater degree.” Although the resolution set for adoption calls for the county to commit its state liquid fuels money to ensure completion of the Matthew Drive extension, Vicites said he doesn’t anticipate having to use those funds.

Commissioner Ronald M. Nehls said Friday that he was concerned about the liquid fuels funds stipulation, but he added that he’s hopeful of getting the answers he needs before Monday’s vote.

“You may know more about it than I do … I’m a little bit in the dark on that,” said Nehls. “I’ve made several calls today to various places, to try to get up to speed. We had a meeting the day after Christmas (on this project) and it was a whole different issue than this.”

Nehls said he needs to get more information on the matter in order to increase his comfort level, which he was confident could occur by Monday morning.