Last week our Executive Director, Tom Frank, had the opportunity to attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the Washington Mall Redevelopment Project, hosted by the development team of 79/70 Associates and Chapman Properties. The groundbreaking ceremony showcased the strengths of Washington County’s leadership when aligned with private development.
Our NAIOP President, Nate Phillips served as the Master of Ceremony while leaders of the team and public officials discussed the impact of demolishing a once vibrant, now decaying highway-front property and the plans to build prominent retail real estate. The announced projects include a new Costco, a Campers Inn and a new building for the Harbor Freight on the 66-acre redevelopment. Some of the key presenters included Tony Rosenberger, Chapman Properties CEO, Bob Weber, South Strabane Township Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, County Board of Commissioners, Nick Sherman (Chairman), Electra Janis (Vice Chair) and Larry Maggi (Commissioner), Bob Griffin of the Redevelopment Authority of Washington County, PA State Senator Camera Bartolotta, and PA State Rep Tim O’Neal.
To showcase this alignment of private development and government, the Commissioners have allocated $5.9 million from the county’s blight mitigation funds to demolish the existing mall. Tony ended the ceremony with a laugh stating “Mr. Commissioner, tear down this mall!” just before the speakers took sledgehammers to mall, adding a fun twist to a typical groundbreaking ceremony.
View photos from the event below. Additional articles and information about this project can be found at the following links:
