South Fayette sets hearing, vote on UPMC’s plans for hospital

South Fayette commissioners on Wednesday will discuss UPMC’s plan to build a hospital and other medical facilities in the township and then hold a public hearing on the matter April 19 followed by a vote that night.

UPMC wants to build a three-story, 280,000-squarefoot hospital, with an emergency room and helicopter pad, and medical offices on Presto-Sygan Road in the Newbury plan.

The township planning commission, an advisory board to the commissioners, voted unanimously March 23 to recommend granting UPMC’s request for conditional use approval and its subdivision plans.

South Fayette resident Tom Jones is concerned about what a hospital might bring to the township and to the residents of Newbury.

“That development had never been intended for a hospital,” he said in an interview this week.

People bought homes in the Newbury development thinking that there would be a grocery and other retail outlets there, but that hasn’t happened, he said, adding, “there’s very little tax base [with a hospital] compared to retail.”

He’s also concerned that a hospital may reduce home values. Residents already hear noise from Interstate 79, trains and planes, he said, and adding helicopters to the mix would create even more.

And, he’s worried about the impact another hospital would have on Washington Hospital and St. Clair Hospital.

Mr. Jones expects a large crowd to show up for the public hearing, which begins at 7 p.m. and will be followed by the commissioners voting meeting. Public comment is not expected to be part of the meeting on Wednesday.