South Fayette planners approve projects
UPMC wants to build hospital at Newbury
The South Fayette Township Planning Commission has granted conditional use approval that would allow EQA Landmark to proceed with a medical complex in the Newbury Plan.
The approval was unanimous at Thursday’s meeting, at which it was also officially announced that UPMC intends to build a hospital with an emergency room and other medical offices on about 16 acres along Presto Sygan Road. The hospital would also have a helicopter pad but would not be a trauma center.
The planning commission also approved subdivision plans for the property so that a portion of it will be for the hospital and the other for outpatient facilities.
“Tonight is a great evening for us,” said Brett Malky, president and founder of EQA Landmark, who added that he was “elated” to announce UPMC’s intention to locate a facility in Newbury.
No official plans for the hospital were presented, but the medical complex is expected to be about 280,000 square feet and three stories tall.
Prior to the vote, commissioners questioned whether the facility would be tax-exempt.
Roger Altmeyer, director of community project development for UPMC, said the hospital portion of the complex would be tax-
exempt, but the outpatient service medical buildings would be taxable.
Mr. Altmeyer said he could not give a percentage of how much of the property would be tax-exempt.
Mr. Malky said that when he first came to the township with his original plans for Newbury, a portion of the development was set to be taxexempt and to be used for a community center.
“We’re excited about the opportunity to bring another medical facility to the township,” Mr. Altmeyer said.
UPMC opened a 60,000square-foot outpatient Children’s South Facility in South Fayette in 2014. That facility is fully taxable.
The Newbury Plan was originally to include big-box store anchors. Mr. Malky said a study Newbury commissioned showed that in light of the recent closures of retail stores operated by chains such as Sears and Macy’s, other anchor tenants would be more suited for the development.
South Fayette resident Bill Price asked about Newbury, “Is the intended remainder still intact,” such as having a grocery store in the development?
Mr. Malky said he is in talks with five grocery store chains. He also alluded to the possibility that a Wahlburgers could be located in Newbury, saying he’d received calls from the hamburger chain.
Commissioner Joel Robinson pointed out that planning commission approvals are recommendations to the board of commissioners, which must give final approval. The commissioners meet the second and third Wednesdays of each month.
The planning commission also approved site plans for a Top Golf entertainment complex at Newbury. The Dallas-based golf and entertainment center has about 28 facilities open in the United States and has nine under construction this year.
The proposed three-story, 65,000-square-foot facility could create 450 to 500 jobs in the area. According to Top Golf’s website, there are currently no locations in Pennsylvania.