Connellsville council extends contract with developer
CONNELLSVILLE – A New York developer will have an additional six months to complete business negotiations with owners planning to build at the Route 119/201 intersection. Council voted unanimously on Wednesday to extend the contract with Widewaters Group through April after reviewing the request with city solicitor Joseph Ferens.
“We want this development to move forward,” said Councilman Bruce Jaynes in support of the authorization.
Ferens said meetings and conversations over the past several days with Scott Luedtke, Widewaters Group manager of retail development, indicated that construction should begin in January pending final approval from the state Department of Transportation.
According to the latest site plan offered to the city, the strip mall is to include a grocery store as the anchor tenant, two restaurants and three small retail shops. A gas station also is proposed for the site along with a 400-space parking facility.
During a meeting held several months ago, Luedtke indicated that a 58-room Hampton Inn, a subsidiary of Hilton, would also be built on the site. During the Wednesday meeting, however, it was revealed that Widewaters was also requesting a second modification to the initial contract be signed by council that would restrict usage of a two-acre out lot that is owned by the city and where the hotel is to be erected.
It was unclear if the hotel chain was withdrawing its interest in the property.
At the advice of Ferens, council did not approve the second modification pending further discussions with the developer.
Luedtke could not be reached for comment Thursday.
In other business, council approved a $3,000 payment to B&R Recycling of Connellsville for the emergency demolition of a vacant South Pittsburgh Street residence that was destroyed in a fire on Oct. 28.
Mayor Judy Reed ordered the removal of the remains of the home and a chimney after it was declared a safety hazard by the city fire chief and health and code officer.
Reed said the city would lien the property in order to recoup the expenses.
Council also approved the resignation of city Patrolman Robert Wilson from the police department.
Chief Stephen Cooper said the officer had been accepted for enrollment in the State Police Academy.
The panel took no action to fill the vacancy created by Wilson’s departure.
In other action, council also conducted the following business:
– Proclaimed Nov. 16-22 as American Education Week.
Agreed to lease a 2004 Chevrolet police cruiser through the National Fleet Leasing Co. at a cost of $17,750.
– Authorized Widmer Engineering Inc. to develop a storm water map in compliance with a state Department of Environmental Protection mandate.
– Agreed to pay Frantz Construction the final payment of $12,871.33 for the construction of the city salt storage building.
– Awarded a contract to Dom Polito Jr. for the installation of carpet throughout the first floor of the municipal building at a cost of $9,800.