Sep 13, 2006 By Amy Zalar 3 min read

The Fayette County Redevelopment Authority Tuesday selected a Pittsburgh firm to provide inspection and construction management services for the Matthew Drive Extension project at the Fayette County Business Park. Dick Corporation landed the contract that will help lead to construction of the road to serve the upcoming Wal-Mart Super Center, Chili’s Restaurant and other local and national stores at the South Union Township business park along Route 40.

Joseph E. Onesi, project manager for Dick Corporation, said his company has a good relationship with the state Department of Transportation and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, both entities that will be involved in construction of the road.

Onesi said Dick Corporation managed a similar job in the completion of Industry Drive in Allegheny County. “We feel comfortable to manage this job,” Onesi said. He added that the plan is to employ as many Fayette County people as possible during the project.

Executive Director Andrew French said the plan is to open up Matthew Drive Extension next October to correspond with the opening of the new Wal-Mart Super Center.

Onesi said although the road would be open in fall 2007, after a settling period the final paving would be completed in the spring of 2008. The authority also has an agreement that will create a spur off the Mon/Fayette Expressway leading into the business park.

French said selecting Dick Corporation is the first action by the board relating to the construction management contract. He said the next step would be to work with PennDOT to develop an official contract, complete with price proposal, which the board will vote on at a later date.

Earlier this month, the state Department of Environmental Protection issued the second of two permits that deal with wetland issues at the business park site and allow for construction of the road. French said the contract was signed and sent back to DEP.

French said plans are to put the project out to bid in October, and to award a contract for road construction by the end of the year.

“We’re ready to roll. Dirt will fly,” said authority member Ross DiMarco.

French said with the permit from DEP secured, Cedarwood Development could also proceed to do fill work at the site.

The authority approved a request by French to attend the 2006 annual National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials conference in Atlanta, Ga., Oct. 14 to Oct. 17. French, secretary of the Middle Atlantic Regional Council of NAHRO as well as the only representative from Pennsylvania on NAHRO’s Community Revitalization and Development Committee, will moderate a session on eminent domain. He said there would be a lot of valuable sessions to attend.

French also reported that the single audit report for the year ending December 2005 determined the authority is operating in compliance with the government auditing standards. French said there were a few minor findings, but they dealt with internal control and operational matters and were not a part of the audit. Each of the concerns listed by auditor Maher Duessel were addressed.

The authority approved the audit, with board member James S. Woleslagle commenting that there were “no recommendations, just some guidelines” for staff.

“It is a clean audit,” French said.