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Rostraver church hopes to expand to old community college site

By Scott Beveridge for The 2 min read
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ROSTRAVER – A church has tentative plans to expand to a former community college building as it broadens its operations in Rostraver Township.

Mon Valley Christian & Missionary Alliance Church in the township’s Fellsburg neighborhood has asked Rostraver for permits to use the former Westmoreland County Community College site for overflow parking and meeting space, public records show

“We have been blessed over the years,” said James Kelly, a founding member of the congregation who applied to the township April 15 for a variance and special exemption under zoning codes.

The township’s zoning hearing board has scheduled a public meeting next week to act on the request that involves the purchase of the property at 1181 Fells Church Road from Belle Vernon Area School District.

The purchase of the 4.3-acre site is contingent on the township’s approval of the church’s applications for the site of the former Lebanon School, township records show. The district listed the property at $149,900.

The church has plans to add a new 550-seat sanctuary to its building at Fells Church Road and Route 51, Kelly said.

He said the church that began in 1987 with 26 members has grown to the point where it constructed a building for services eight years ago in Rostraver.

The old one-story college building could be used to meet with people who are uncomfortable going to a church, township records indicate.

It also would be used as a place for people to wait for a shuttle bus to the church, and storage space for its growing food missionary program. Its grief-sharing group also could use the former college building.

The township meeting on the church’s applications will be held at 7:30 p.m. May 8 in the municipal building at 201 Municipal Drive.

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