Brownsville makes ‘at risk’ list
BROWNSVILLE – Brownsville has the dubious distinction of having made this year’s top 10 list for the most endangered historic properties in Pennsylvania. “Pennsylvania At Risk” is compiled each year by Preservation Pennsylvania, a statewide, private, non-profit organization dedicated to protecting historically and architecturally significant properties. Susan Shearer, the executive director of Preservation Pennsylvania, said the organization focuses on different locations and different types of properties each year. Brownsville’s historic downtown district, with its numerous vacant buildings, is symbolic of many Pennsylvania towns, Shearer said.
“It really rose to be in the top group for this year because it represents the kinds of challenges that many Pennsylvania communities are facing,” Shearer said. “The downtown at this point seems to have one major owner who is holding them for an economic development opportunity that may never come about. I had to drive through a number of times to absorb the reality of it.”
Inclusion on the list increases awareness of the properties for potential developers and it also makes the properties eligible for special consideration through the Keystone Grant Program administered by the Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission, according to Preservation Pennsylvania literature.
Ernest Liggett, who owns about 90 percent of the buildings in the downtown historic district, views the listing on the “At Risk” list in a positive light.
“I think that the listing is a positive step which we will use to market it and sell it,” Liggett said. “It was purchased with the intent of resale. To sell something, you have to market it with a use.”
Liggett said his idea for the property has always been a mixed-use redevelopment of Brownsville with the restoration of the existing buildings. His initial concept called for the development to center around riverboat gaming, but the state legislature never approved riverboat gaming. The plan shifted toward Native American gaming, with several tribes approached and most recently discussions with a Pennsylvania-based, Native American owned company, Ohwista Ko:Wah.
“There was an agreement for their business for an Indian casino,” Liggett said.
Liggett said that while the deal with Ohwista Ko:Wah is in process, it is currently stalled.
“We still believe in the ability of Brownsville to reinvent itself,” Liggett said.
Shearer said her organization has been hoping Pennsylvania would institute historic preservation tax credits, but the proposal has not yet been made into law.
“There is a federal tax credit for commercial properties, and that is available now, but we were hoping for additional state incentives,” Shearer said.
There are several criteria for sites to be placed on the ‘At Risk” list, according to Preservation Preservation’s website: the property is listed on, or determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, or the property is considered a contributing structure in a National Register Historic District, or the property is designated historic by local government, and the property is faced with imminent, recognized endangerment either from overt action, neglect, incompatible use, or loss of context.
The Brownsville Commercial Historic District was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993, with most of the buildings dating between 1900 and 1930. The Young Preservationists Association of Pittsburgh nominated the downtown area for the Pennsylvania At Risk list. The Young Preservationists in 2003 had listed the downtown Brownsville historic district is one of the top 10 best historic preservation opportunities.
“We think the riverfront and downtown buildings offer the best opportunity for jobs and tourism development,” said Dan Holland of Young Preservationists. “The downtown business district was listed on the National Register of Historic places, which is significant, yet the downtown lost an historic theater, the Plaza.”
Holland said Young Preservationists nominated Brownsville for the “At Risk” list partly because of the demolition of the Plaza. He said the group is worried that more historic buildings in Brownsville will be torn down.
“Obviously, that’s not our desire,” Liggett said. “As for the Plaza Theater, we made every attempt to safeguard that building. We would not say it was a lack of attention on our part that led to it being torn down. We exhausted every reasonable effort for that building.”
The Plaza was torn down under an agreement reached in Fayette County Court regarding the dilapidated condition of the building. Liggett’s attorney had presented testimony that the building was structurally sound though it had no roof.
“We think the buildings and properties would be in much better hands with someone who would actually do something with them. I would like to see the property fall into the hands of responsible stewards who would reuse and restore the properties as they should be,” Holland said. “I think one has to consider very strongly what is happening just a few miles away in Uniontown. Thanks to one person with money, Uniontown is having a rebirth.”
Liggett said that renovation alone is not the key to Brownsville’s future.
“It’s one thing to discuss renovation of the property, but that isn’t enough. You need to have a viable marketing plan for the reuse of the property,” Liggett said. “You’ve got to have a use to sustain them and warrant the expense of a person maintaining a business there.”
Liggett noted that downtown Brownsville has gone with several economic cycles, with the most recent decline starting in the 1960s, with further declines following the November 1985 flood.
The Young Preservationists Web site states that the Brownsville Area Revitalization Corporation (BARC) has been trying to acquire the downtown property for years for reclamation and reuse, however both Liggett and BARC board members deny any such acquisition attempts.
“I wasn’t aware of those intentions,” Liggett said.
The Rev. David Clark, the current president of BARC, said he was unaware of any discussions to attempt to purchase the properties from Liggett or any offers made in the past.
“We don’t have any money and I think it would be foolish to approach someone without having the money to follow through,” Clark said.
Liggett said he has been approached my many people interested in acquiring the buildings, but so far none have been able to close the deal.
“It’s our intention to sell the property. We need to know their intentions and their ability to close the deal. The essence of any agreement is closing it,” Liggett said. “I have no predisposition as to who the ultimate buyer is. The predisposition is who has the ability to close.”
Former BARC president and current Brownsville Mayor Norma Ryan said that acquisition of the majority of the downtown buildings is outside the scope of what BARC can do.
“BARC’s whole mission is to be here for the revitalization of the community. We’re not in a position to acquire a lot of property, but we are in a position to lend a hand,” Ryan said.
Although eminent domain may be used for economic development projects, it has not been considered for downtown Brownsville, Ryan said.
“Eminent domain is never even mentioned. That’s the last thing in the world that anyone wants to do,” Ryan said.
Ryan said the assistance BARC can give to an organization of business is technical assistance and contacts for grants and other programs, not direct financial assistance from BARC.