High-end senior living facility and restaurants presented as options

South Fayette commissioners are reviewing two bids for the sale of the 8.5 acres located at the Interstate 79 and Route 50 interchange near Washington Pike.

Barry Ford, president of development in Pittsburgh for national developer Continental Real Estate, said the company plans to build a high-end senior living facility.

“We are working on a $35 million project in Moon Township,” he said, “and it would be in some ways similar to this.”

Township manager Ryan Eggleston said the project involves about 120 rental units,

Mr. Ford, who is a township resident, said the rental units would have minimal impact on traffic, provide a huge investment in the community and employ about 75 to 100 people. He added there would be no impact on the school district population.

“We are prepared to move forward in a very short period of time,” Mr. Ford said.

Burns and Scalo Real Estate in Green Tree also has proposed a plan, but one that goes in a different direction.

“This is the third time I bid on this property. I want it for all the right reasons,” company president James Scalo said. “We see what the township needs: restaurants. The residents tell us, ‘We want sit-down restaurants.’”

Said Mr. Eggleston: “I think it would involve four or five separate restaurants.”

The company originally submitted a proposal to lease the property in January 2015.

Commissioners decided to advertise for bids again with an option for purchase. Burns and Scalo submitted another proposal that included two options.

One was to lease the property; the other was to purchase it for $3 million. The township accepted neither, and instead approved the sale of the property for $5 million to Horizon Properties in September 2015.

After Horizon withdrew from the sales agreement in September 2017, the township sought new bids.

The former Mulach Steel property has not been without problems. In 2016, ground contamination was identified, Mr. Eggleston has said. “Depending on proposed use, there may be a situation on a particular proposal that does not require remediation, or a proposal needs some but not all remediation.”

The state Department of Environmental Protection subsequently approved an Act 2 (Land Recycling Program) report.

Commissioners could vote on the bid proposals as early as Feb. 21.

Township solicitor Robert Garvin said the First Class Township code stipulates that the highest bid must be selected, but commissioners could choose to reject both bids based on the request for proposal advertised.