Mar 20, 2025 By Jon Andreassi 2 min read

South Strabane Township’s planning commission voted Tuesday to recommend the board of supervisors approve land development for the relocation of Harbor Freight.

It is another piece in a flurry of activity related to the redevelopment of the Washington Mall property, which Washington County commissioners indicated will be razed to make way for new business, including the portion housing Harbor Freight.

The developer 79/70 Associates has submitted an application to South Strabane for preliminary and final land development for the construction of a 16,000-square-foot retail building.

Kristin Hullihen, the township’s director of planning and zoning, explained it will be the new location of Harbor Freight.

“It’s going over by Firestone and Popeye’s,” Hullihen said, adding that a former Community Bank branch also will be torn down to make way for the new building.

Harbor Freight will move into the new location before the mall is razed, according to Hullihen.

John Wright, an engineer with Coraopolis-based Lennon, Smith, Souleret Engineering, represented 79/70 Associates at Tuesday’s meeting. Nate Phillips of 79/70 attended the meeting virtually via Zoom.

“Of course, we can’t tear down everything until we move in, and we can’t build the rest until we move,” Wright told the planning commission.

Currently, 79/70 is involved in multiple projects at the now-defunct mall. The developer is seeking a Campers Inn RV dealership at the site of the former Toys ‘R Us. The space where Giant Eagle used to be will become a service center for recreational vehicles.

There is also an application for a 152,000-square-foot “retail warehouse club,” which the county commissioners announced last week would be a Costco.

Phillips said over Zoom that the “warehouse club” has not officially signed off on the project.

“Obviously, we’re in the negotiations, and the final closing on the agreement for the sale is contingent, obviously, on approvals at the municipal level. The work you’re doing today is important to that, so thank you,” Phillips said.

Planning commission member Paula Phillis remarked that 79/70 Associates still would not officially confirm that the “warehouse club” is a Costco.

“Well, I can say it’s the worst-kept secret in Washington County, how about that?” Phillips said.