City wants to turn VA site into a police, EMS center

Pittsburgh officials have proposed turning a 164-acre former Veterans Affairs site into a law enforcement center after the federal government declared it excess property.

Kevin Acklin, Mayor Bill Peduto’s chief of staff, testified Wednesday before a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee on the proposal to turn the VA property in Lincoln-Lemington into a law enforcement and emergency management center.

Mr. Acklin was invited to speak by U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta,

“Gaining control of the site and partnering with the federal government for its reuse will revolutionize first responder and emergency service response and delivery in Pittsburgh.” — Kevin Acklin, Mayor Bill Peduto’s chief of staff

R-Hazleton, who is the chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management. The congressman recently toured the hillside site off Washington Boulevard, according to a release from the mayor’s office.

The subcommittee said that the purpose of Mr. Acklin’s testimony is to “address impediments in the normal property disposal process that impact the return to the taxpayer” and “streamline the sale or redevelopment of high value assets that are underutilized to obtain the best return for the taxpayer through consolidating the Federal footprint.”

“The city’s proposal for reuse of the Veterans Affairs site follows an evaluation of city governmentowned facilities, properties and infrastructure, and efforts to enhance or consolidate current facilities, or dispose of underutilized ones, in ways that provide the highest value and services to residents,” the release said.

According to Mr. Acklin’s prepared remarks: “All services were transferred to other facilities throughout the Pittsburgh region by 2013, and the site has sat vacant and unused ever since. The facility is very large and comprised of 19 buildings that, while secured, are depreciating rapidly. The buildings are not connected to typical utilities and they are not regularly inhabited. As Chairman Barletta pointed out on a recent tour, it is only a matter of time before a roof leaks or a pipe bursts, potentially going unnoticed for a long period and causing significant damage to the facility.

“Gaining control of the site and partnering with the federal government for its reuse will revolutionize first responder and emergency service response and delivery in Pittsburgh. The campus is remote and surrounded by woodlands, but is in close proximity to major highways and our East Busway for convenient access to Downtown Pittsburgh.

“The site could hold facilities that are currently scattered around the city, including the headquarters and training academies of our police, fire, and emergency management services; our garage and machine shop; and our emergency operations center, thereby unlocking those sites for development that will grow our city and tax base.”

The Peduto administration said it has been working with both Veterans Affairs and the General Services Administration on the proposal.