Judge approves Atlas Building sale to Mon Valley Alliance
Washington County Common Pleas Court Judge Damon J. Faldowski has granted the petition sought by Charleroi Area School District to sell the Atlas Building and former district high school football stadium for $1 to Mon Valley Alliance.
“We’re pleased with the decision and the fact that he expedited that decision,” Mon Valley Alliance CEO Christopher Whitlatch said. “We’re excited to go ahead with the project and we believe it will benefit the community in many ways.”
Staffers in Faldowski’s office said the judge granted the petition on Thursday. The judge had anticipated issuing a ruling within a week of a 90-minute hearing Wednesday in his Washington courtroom.
“We are obviously very pleased,” said Charleroi school Solicitor Todd M. Pappasergi, who pressed the case for the sale with four witnesses. “It is a great day for Charleroi.”
MVA had a long-term lease for the former warehouse, which largely has been demolished. Community Development Block Grant money is covering that demolition while a gaming-fueled Local Share grant will cover stadium work.
“We are going to complete the demolition of the Atlas Building in the next month,” Whitlatch said. “We expect to kick off demolition late in the summer or early in the fall for the stadium. We will have two sites prepped and ready to go.”
Pappasergi hailed the “great plans” for Charleroi’s revitalization set in motion by the sale.
Whitlatch said a new gateway will be opened into Charleroi, that should attract additional business to that borough. In his testimony the MVA said redevelopment of the 7,500-square-foot Atlas site could be the start of reversing Charleroi’s declining population.
He also presented a preliminary plan for the stadium property with an “attraction anchor” for regular events, and a “seasonal-commercial” area he compared to Pittsburgh’s Market Square.
Faldowski turned back the challenge of three men who described themselves as private citizens, including Larry W. Hopkins, who made a case against the sale outside of his role as magisterial district judge in Charleroi.
Hopkins, John McDonough of Speers and Rich Saccani of Charleroi all thought the school district made a mistake by rejecting a $100,000 offer the school board first accepted in April 2016 from Wendell H. Stone Co. Inc.
Charleroi Councilman Larry Celaschi testified that the deal with Stone was contingent on the stadium property remaining zoned for heavy industrial use. It instead was rezoned for redevelopment and Charleroi Area School Board President Kenneth Wiltz testified that Stone withdrew its offer.
Hopkins and the other challengers could not be reached for comment.
Pappasergi said objectors have 30 days to appeal the sale to Commonwealth Court, but believed “even if there is an appeal” that it would have to overcome “the clear presentation of evidence that we put forward.”