Work to start on West Brownsville Walmart
?Work is expected to begin today to prepare the site of a new Walmart store along Route 40 in West Brownsville.
Donald Croftcheck confirmed that his family sold a 17 to 18 acre parcel to Wal-Mart Corp. for development of a 118,000 square foot store.
“We finally got that deal done over there. I can’t tell you how great that feels,” said Donald Croftcheck in an interview Tuesday evening. “Walmart’s definitely the anchor store there.”
Croftcheck said he and his family worked for the past three or four years with area lawmakers and Wal-Mart Corp. to bring the project to fruition.
Senator (Richard) Kasunic was a big help and Representative (Peter) Daley, and (Sen.) Barry Stout, who was so influential. Every time we ran into a roadblock with some government agency, these guys would go to bat for us,” Croftcheck said.
State Rep. Peter J. Daley, D-California, said he was thrilled when he got the call Tuesday afternoon from Scott Croftcheck that the deal had been completed.
“Wal-Mart had some real stringent conditions they had to meet,” Daley said.
“I’ve been involved with this project for three or four years now. We got grant money last year for Pennsylvania American Water to bring water to the site for the project.”
Daley said the project would bring an economic boost to the region with both jobs and additional tax revenue.
“We’re more excited about the jobs we can bring to the Brownsville area than we are about any personal gain,” Donald Croftcheck said.
Although the new Wal-Mart site is in Washington County, it will be only about a quarter mile west of the Lane Bane Bridge over the Monongahela River, connecting Washington and Fayette counties between West Brownsville and Brownsville boroughs.
“We need to get something moving for our county, and by our county, I mean Fayette,” Donald Croftcheck said.
Donald Croftcheck said Cleveland Construction should begin clearing trees from the site immediately.
“Within four months it will be cleared and leveled and the (traffic) light will be installed. Before winter the pad will be in and they can start construction on the building in the spring,” Donald Croftcheck said.
He credited his sons, Scott and Brian Croftcheck, with getting all of the necessary permits in order with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and other agencies, work usually done by Walmart Corp. after land is purchased.
Donald Croftcheck said that while it’s still unofficial, the new store should be open by next autumn.
“They want to wait until spring to get their building up, then within six or seven months it will be operational,” Donald Croftcheck said.
Donald Croftcheck said the proximity to California University of Pennsylvania with 8,000 to 9,000 students on campus was a selling point in attracting the new Wal-Mart store.
“It’s a great location,” Donald Croftcheck said.