Redevelopment Authority approves lot purchase
The Uniontown Redevelopment Authority on Tuesday approved the purchase of a vacant residential lot that would be used in a planned housing development in the North Gallatin Avenue area. Authority board members unanimously approved buying the lot at 21 W. Coffey St. for $3,000, pending the outcome of a title search.
Authority Executive Director Mark Yauger said the lot would be one of 25 properties where single-family houses and townhouses would be built through a Home Ownership Choice Program and the Core Communities Program.
The authority applied to the state Department of Community and Economic Development for a $500,000 Core Communities Grant to prepare 25 lots for residential development.
If the grant were approved, the authority would work with Community Action of Fayette County and Threshold Housing Development of Uniontown to build the homes.
Community Action owns about half of the targeted properties and Threshold would apply for a grant for construction.
In unrelated business, the board approved paying Ritenour and Sons Construction of Connellsville $4,800 to demolish a house at 114 Rear Walnut St. and $4,500 to demolish another house at 157 Walnut St.
Yauger said both single-family homes were damaged in fires. The house at 114 Rear Walnut St. already has been torn down. The house at 157 Walnut St. will be razed if the owner agrees to give the lot to the city after the demolition, Yauger said.
In other business, the board:
? Agreed to buy eight portable radios and one mobile vehicle radio for the city’s police department for $23,622 from Motorola.
? Approved paying Pine Hollow Mechanical of Uniontown $3,060 for repairing hydronic water pumps for the heating system at the Central Fire Station.
? Authorized paying O.C. Cluss Lumber $427 for various materials to complete the installation of new garage doors at the East End Fire Station.
? Approved renewing Yauger’s annual membership in the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials for $200.
? Renewed the authority’s annual membership in the Pennsylvania Housing Research/Resource Center for $100.