Mid-Armstrong County Leaders Consider Revitalization

 

by Jonathan Weaver

County and Borough officials engaged in discussions on how to revitalize the community this week.

County officials heard public feedback and discussed the Belmont Pool in East Franklin Township and the Armstrong County Health Center, whereas Ford City and Kittanning Borough officials heard from developers with an idea to build townhouses in place of Ford City Junior-Senior High and Kittanning Junior High schools.

Belmont Complex Swimming Pool

Pashek Associates Consultant Bob Good brought a handful of options in ways to maximize exposure while reducing cost at the Belmont Complex swimming pool in East Franklin Township.

County Planning and Development Program Manager Tom Swisher brought the audience up-to-date.

“This (was) a continuation of the feasibility study that was just concluded – through that feasibility study, the study revealed the significant cost that it would be to upgrade the pool to today’s standards, so with the money left over within the grant budget, commissioners asked Pashek Associates to look for alternative recreational opportunities,” Swisher said.

To come up with those opportunities, Good had to research Armstrong County through statistics, comparing options with those existing in the region and interviewing local personnel.

“In every single community that we’re in, everyone in the offseason wants to be indoors now. There’s big pressure to do something in an indoor facility,” Good said. “(Also) Swimming pools are shifting to a point where they are serving larger areas rather than smaller areas – becoming regional facilities instead of local facilities. And you can see that in Armstrong County.”

Local stakeholders reaffirmed those results for multi-purpose indoor sport facilities, but emphasized that there are a lack of local options for youth activities. Last Summer, more than a dozen local and regional residents – including the three previous commissioners, Belmont Complex Executive Director Gary Montebell and Head Lifeguard Leslie Campbell – started exchanging thoughts regarding the Belmont Complex pool.

Consultants recommended commissioners consider the indoor facility, a studio ice rink, an outdoor destination playground/spray park or a swimming pool upgrade.

“Any sort of indoor sports facility needs to be able to be used for different things at different times, and needs to be able to change with the times – not locked in for the long term,” Good said.

Either a studio ice rink or indoor facility would cost about $3 million, a destination playground less than $800,000 and a swimming pool upgrade about $1.4 million.

Good was concerned with population density in the county – a factor for regular use at such a facility – and others were also concerned with U.S. Census Bureau statistics that show average household income.

Using statistics provided by other youth sports agencies, Good found that there is an overall nine percent drop in participation, as well as a nine percent drop in “core youth sports” – such as baseball, football and soccer.

However, one of the Belmont Complex’s key sports – ice hockey – increased by 44 percent during the past five years.

Swimming was not analyzed by experts.

Commissioners Fabian and Jason Renshaw were among the 30 community residents in attendance in the complex meeting room, and answered concerns at the end of the evening – including regarding marketing costs.

John McCay, of Kittanning Borough, asked why commissioners can’t consider a combination of both the playground and swimming pool. A father of two children that swam in the pool, McCay visited the complex regularly.

“We brought the kids up three (or) four times per summer in the past, but with the weather this year, we thought it was worth to go ahead and purchase a regular membership this year. I brought my kids here probably 30-35 times,” McCay said.

Daughter, Charlie, was also on the swim team and son, Aidan, came following baseball camps.

10-year-old Larissa Frain, of Ford City, also visited the pool regularly during the summer with her babysitter, Hannah.

“People that can enjoy a people are limitless – one to 100 years old. I’m not lying – the pool is the only fun thing to do around here,” Frain said. “Other than the fun, it keeps you out of trouble and gives you exercise - Is there anything we can do to keep the pool open?”

Frain’s mother, Teresa, grew up at Alameda Pool in Butler and father, Larry, grew up at the pool in Apollo Borough before it closed.

Armstrong officials have seen a noticeable increase in membership and usability of the Belmont Complex pool and facilities this summer.

“Pool membership in 2016 was higher than it’s been in six years – public swim revenues were the second-highest. The last time you reached (revenues) that high was (also) in 2010,” Good reported.

Commissioner Chair Pat Fabian was encouraged by those statistics enhanced by warm water, but acknowledged County officials have to market the pool earlier in the season.

Montebell said following the meeting that he appreciated the community’s input that could be “very beneficial” in the future.

Armstrong County Health Center

County commissioners also heard Wednesday six options regarding the Armstrong County Health Center in Kittanning Borough but ultimately decided to accept Request for Proposals and are exploring sale.

The Kittanning Borough facility has recorded nearly a million dollar deficit in each of the past five years.

Wednesday, Susquehanna Group Advisors’ Managing Director Jay Wenger presented Armstrong County Commissioners Pat Fabian, Jason Renshaw and George Skamai with background on the 115-bed facility – which Armstrong has maintained since the 1970’s.
Wenger said all counties that own nursing homes have similar concerns as they compete against not-for-profit, private pay care and also for-profit businesses that only offer skilled care (like Armstrong) but across multiple facilities.

“It’s very similar to why the ‘Mom and Pop’ grocery store or barber shop, hardware store or gas stations have disappeared because the economies of scale are into mass purchasing and resource allocation – like a Sheetz convenience store/gas station,” Wenger said. “While you see all these small operators disappear in other industries, much the same is occurring in the skilled nursing industry because it’s very, very difficult to operate as a single-site facility and be as competitive.”

Most of the state’s counties used to own facilities, but only 20 remain – including Bradford, Indiana and Westmoreland - due to losing revenue.

Wenger presented the county with five options – including hiring a management firm or consultant (as Armstrong has already done in the past), leasing operations or converting the property into a non-profit – but ultimately decided the six – selling the facility.

“We see far-greater value in an outright sale – which is option six (rather than transferring to a non-profit),” Wenger said.

A half-dozen counties have also discussed selling their facilities. Wenger said prices from buyers have continued to escalate.

Renshaw confirmed interest is growing in the Armstrong County Health Center.

“We’ve had multiple people call, e-mail. There seems to be a trend going around the State,” Renshaw said. “You get a few here-and-there (and) get a few more, so we said ‘OK, if there’s that big of an interest and we’re already losing money, we’ll at least entertain it just to see if those people are real.”

Fabian said he has been researching the Armstrong County Health Center since being elected, and found Wenger’s presentation “excellent.”

“For me, it was an easy decision to explore this process of (Request for Proposals),” Fabian said. “Because, we do get calls every single week about the health center. This is something worth exploring at this point.

“This has been a careful evaluation for eight months, and I think this is critical we look at it now (during budget meetings with department heads).”

Fabian wants to hear from buyers with experience working with unions and that will negotiate fairly.

“The highest priority should be patients and those employees,” Fabian said. “At the end of the day we’re not comfortable, we’re not selling and we’ll continue to operate as-is

Renshaw and Fabian re-emphasized the board’s desire to make sure the amount of local jobs and the quality of care “remains the same, if not gets better.” Former County Commissioner Rich Fink also desired such.

“Nothing changes – you take what’s going on there right now (assure the) - same care, same personnel, same everything – and it would be just a change of ownership,” Renshaw said.

Fabian said if the process does work out, the building would go back on the tax rolls for Kittanning Borough. Not only would exploratory findings possibly save the county $1 million annually, but also save Armstrong from making capital improvements necessary.

Commissioners unanimously entered into an agreement with Susquehanna Group following the presentation for them to begin the exploratory process. Susquehanna Group Advisors have consulted with Armstrong County for about a dozen years, and has consulted with other counties regarding nursing homes as well.

Wenger and commissioners were to announce the exploratory decision to health center staff Wednesday afternoon.

Former Armstrong School District Schools

A western Pennsylvania development firm proposed to demolish two community schools and fill the spaces with townhouses.

TREK Development President Bill Gatti, Jr. proposed the idea and conducted separate question-and-answer sessions in both Ford City and Kittanning on Wednesday evening.

“As always, it’s a passionate and vital conversation, and we’re happy to be participating in it,” Gatti, Jr. said. “I’m from Indiana, so I know the area reasonably-well. It’s (an area) that needs some investment, we hope to make additional investments and we’ve had good experience working here.”

Gatti, Jr. also thanked crowds of about 50 in Ford City and 75 in Kittanning, respectively, for their input, and stressed community partnership while trying to emphasize past success.

“We try to always look out for the broader community (so that) our goals are aligned with your goals, (is) aligned with your school board’s goals, your leadership’s – we’re all marching in the same direction. We have to figure out ways to pull the rope together because rebuilding these cities and towns is hard work.

“If we’re working against each other, it just doesn’t work.”

Gatti, Jr., Senior Project Manager Trey Barbour and Lead Architect Tom Harley received mixed reviews from local residents after a similar message to both groups.

“We looked at this very hard – one of our core values is historic preservation (so) we really wanted to find a way to rehabilitate and reuse (these) buildings in a meaningful way (but) we were not able to do that. So what we are proposing is demolition and new construction of townhouses on the site the building(s) used to sit.”

The trio proposed two dozen, two-story townhouses for either families or seniors – with a fixed rent of an estimated $650 per month - to sit alongside both 4th Avenue and North McKean Street.

Both at Ford City and Kittanning, some residents advocated for building single-family homes rather than the townhouses.

Development of both sites would begin as soon as 2018 if the group is successful receiving Low Income Housing Tax Credit from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency.

Gatti assumed at least $150,000 construction cost of each unit in Ford City.

The tax credits would be sold to a local investor for money off their federal tax bill.
In Ford City, residents inquired if TREK Development had considered a supermarket on the site and another concerned citizen was concerned with demolishing the historic school.

In an answer to Borough Councilwoman Kathy Bartuccio, the townhouses would meet or exceed handicapped-accessibility requirements.

Dialogue has also continued with State Senator Don White.

Ford City parking would commence in the alley – given developers predict each resident would not have more than one vehicle.

The Armstrong County Housing Authority currently manages Kittanning Cottages and Valley View Apartments TREK Development has developed.

The former schools were designated Keystone Opportunity Zones two years ago.

Officials from both communities heard details regarding the proposal a few weeks ago at the Armstrong County Courthouse.

Kittanning Borough Council President Kim Fox said she was “impressed” with TREK Development’s work at Kittanning Cottages – the former Indiana University of Pennsylvania satellite campus site – and would like to see new development despite sharing some concerns with residents.

“We all live here, work in this community, love this community and I want to see it thrive,” Fox said. “And I think some sort of residency there will make us thrive. I’m very concerned that if the building stays – and I love the school; I went to school there – a halfway house would come in or something undesirable and we wouldn’t have any control over it.”

Ford City Borough Council Vice-President Tyson Klukan will take community concerns in perspective before making a final determination.

“I think the citizens had a fair amount of concern for the old structure, but I think the citizen threw out fair questions that need to be answered that made me turn my head,” Klukan said. “This is in the infant stages, so you got to see how the community feels.”

He looked forward to more community meetings regarding this topic.

TREK Development has not made a formal presentation or purchase offer to Armstrong School District regarding either site since they still own the properties so no decisions have been made, though Gatti acknowledged some board members are aware of the possibility.

“If there’s general consensus around the idea, we are prepared to make a formal ask,” Gatti said.

Harley – who toured the schools while they were still in-use with Gatti - stressed both designs are not complete. The group began plans two or three years ago.

“This is a process – plans always get revised,” Harley said.

The trio was welcomed to Ford City by local resident Don Mains - the former U.S Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic Development – with purple flowers from Marcia’s Garden prior to their presentation.

Following the Kittanning presentation, Ron Crytzer presented history regarding the front lawn in front of the historical museum – currently a parking lot beside Kittanning Junior High.

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  By soissisc, August 30, 2016 @ 11:07 AM

  Don’t we have a vacant structure that could be utilized for indoor activities in the summer (THE ICE RINK)???

  I think the pool is a valuable asset to the community. But they need to somehow get people coming to the complex for reasons in addition to the pool. Young people and old people.

  An exercise facility, that would include the pool membership. Maybe a structure that could be used year ’round that in the summer could be converted to open air. A weight lifting facility? That would attract young people. Basket ball courts with a summer league. An Inline hockey league or indoor soccer league? Indoor tennis or even outdoor tennis courts. Volley ball… where did that go? If you have these things, you need to sell them and organize their use. It is a shame that a building as nice as the ice rink is vacant and unused from May through August.

  I am sure there would be pressure to not compete with the “Y” that is located in about the most inconvenient place in the county, with the exception of close proximity to the Armstrong Trail.

  Does the MCTA bus have a stop at the pool?

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