Washington County, Pa., plans to demolish the dilapidated Washington Mall spring 2025 with federal stimulus finances, aiming to draw new building to the high industrial location on the interchange of I-70 and I-79. This transfer intends to revitalize the realm and produce financial enlargement again to the area.
Google Maps Boulevard View, Washington Mall
The mall website is situated along the interchange of Interstate 70 and I-79.
Southwestern Pa.’s Washington Mall, which as soon as was once an financial beacon for the area when it opened within the overdue Nineteen Sixties most effective to later fall into disrepair and be nearly deserted as retailer after retailer moved out, will quickly be demolished to make means for a brand new building.
The Washington County Commissioners introduced Feb. 19, 2025, at their newest assembly that they’re going to be aiding with razing the previous mall in South Strabane Township via the use of federal stimulus finances throughout the county’s blight mitigation program.
Municipal officers will quickly be soliciting bids so demolition paintings can start in spring 2025 to get the sprawling parcel “pad in a position” as an enticement for builders.
The website is situated along the interchange of Interstate 70 and I-79.
In line with a Feb. 20, 2025, record within the Observer-Reporter, the price to raze the mall and get ready the website for building was once no longer right away made recognized, however it’s going to come from federal American Rescue Plan Act cash earmarked for blight removing around the county.
“This has been a very long time in coming,” Nick Sherman, chair of the county fee, advised the native information supply. He added that there were conversations a few “large field” store most likely shifting into the positioning.
The land upon which the previous mall sits is owned via a consider belonging to the circle of relatives of mall developer Angelo Falconi, with the valuables in care of trustee Anthony Marinelli. However there was an obvious settlement with Leetsdale, Pa.-based Chapman Homes to rip down the mall and expand the valuables to draw a brand new tenant, the Observer-Reporter famous.
“We’ve got had conferences advert nauseam over the past two years seeking to reduce thru the entire legalities with the entire households proudly owning [the property],” Sherman mentioned.
Chapman’s Tony Rosenberger is spearheading the mission and mentioned he would be capable of free up data on a possible tenant at a later date.
For now, even though, crews will take away the mall’s construction and any environmental problems to permit for a brand new retail building at the parcel.
“The key is the mall is falling down, and this will likely eternally perpetuate its disappearance,” he mentioned when talking with the Observer-Reporter. “[The county commissioners] were instrumental in getting it torn down and getting this eyesore out of right here.”
Top-Profile Web page May Turn out Horny to Builders
The Washington Mall first opened in 1968 and boasted quite a few huge retail retail outlets and small companies that introduced consumers to buy from around the area.
Over the a long time, even though, it fell into disrepair as retail outlets left, resulting in the buying groceries heart’s formal closure in 2014, even if some large field retail outlets dealing with the car parking zone remained open for a time.
The one two last tenants are Grand China Buffet and Harbor Freight. The county commissioners didn’t divulge what would occur to these two companies as soon as the mall is razed.
Chain-link fencing has since been arrange round lots of the assets to stay the general public out of the construction, and pictures shared via the commissioners at their fresh assembly confirmed the inner is not salvageable.
On the other hand, the positioning itself, simply to the southeast of the interchange of 2 primary freeways, has sparked renewed pastime after it was once introduced previous in Feb. {that a} game car broker and repair heart was once taking a look to find on the mall’s former Toys ‘R Us and Massive Eagle places.
The Washington Observer-Reporter famous {that a} building workforce referred to as 79/70 Friends is scheduled to seem sooner than South Strabane’s making plans fee and the zoning listening to board in March to speak about that portion of the mission.
The Redevelopment Authority of the County of Washington is overseeing the demolition of the mall thru its blight mitigation program; company Government Director Bob Griffin described the mall as a “textbook mission” for the ones finances.
“The mission aligns really well with what our goal is right here for redevelopment to revitalize and redevelop homes like those, particularly with how lengthy it’s been in disrepair,” he mentioned.
In the meantime, Sherman mentioned the county is hopeful that the high industrial location can as soon as once more be an financial driving force for the area as soon as the dilapidated and not noted construction is got rid of.
“Via early spring, you can see wrecking balls swinging and excavators grabbing issues,” Sherman advised the Washington County information supply.
