County Moving Offices from Armsdale to downtown Kittanning
Commissioners entered into a lease agreement with AC Properties in downtown Kittanning to renovate the remainder of the former-H. M. Pollock Company warehouse into office space for the remaining tenants of the Armstrong Administration Building in Rayburn Township.
by Jonathan Weaver
A handful of County entities might be moving into the County seat by next Fall.
Thursday, County Commissioners acknowledged a lease agreement that would move four County departments from the Armsdale Administration Building in Rayburn Township to a former warehouse along South Grant Avenue in Kittanning.
The former produce warehouse is maintained by AC Properties, LLC, Commissioner Chair Pat Fabian said.
Tenants moving from the Armsdale Administration Building to the property include the Armstrong Conservation District, Armstrong-Indiana Behavioral and Developmental Health Program, ARC of Armstrong, Penn State Extension, Family Behavioral Resources and offices for the Area Agency on Aging.
“Armsdale is a County asset that is in need of a major upgrade, upgrades that are not affordable at this time,” Fabian said. “We’d like to bring those entities back downtown for two reasons: one, for proximity to the courthouse and, to hopefully encourage some economic growth with 80-90 more individuals coming into work in downtown Kittanning.
“We’re hopeful that by September 1, 2017, (the four offices) will be (moved) in.”
Before tenants do move in, Commissioner Jason Renshaw said AC Properties - formed by Darren and Lisa Stolitza, of Kittanning - will revamp the building and remove another blighted property from the local area. Construction crews started demolishing the former-H. M. Pollock Company warehouse in October 2010.
“That increases people that go out and eat, buy things on their lunch break, even after work,” Renshaw said. “The Armsdale building has served its purpose. We might find a use for it as something else.”
A previous study revealed it might take up to $500,000 for the building to be renovated. The building already has a roof.
Commissioner George Skamai reminded Renshaw of Fabian’s goal to move a drug-rehabilitation facility into the region.
Renshaw hinted at a public town hall meeting at Worthington-West Franklin Firehall in September of the possible office relocation, but no site was mentioned at the time.
Solicitor Andrew Sacco, of West Kittanning, has reviewed the lease agreement.
The previous Board of Commissioner publicly discussed selling the Armsdale Administration Building in January 2013. It was originally to close at the end of that fiscal year (June), but never did. Some of the nine tenants at that time did find new office space, however.
At the time, then-County Financial Director Carly Cowan explained Armsdale needed at least $500,000 in renovations to bring it up-to-code and potentially another $500,000 to make it efficient for rental office space – according to estimates from RSSC Architecture of Wexford.
The building sits alongside the Armstrong Trail and South Grant Avenue.
The 107-acre property was originally bought in October 1929 to become the Armstrong County Home, a place to treat ill or physically disabled residents.
Records show county commissioners paid $15,000 for the property, formerly known as the Esther T. Mergenthaler Farm.
The property was renamed in 1983 to what it is today.
Local News | jweaver November 7, 2016
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By jorn jensen, November 7, 2016 @ 7:25 AM
This is a good idea - lease it, don’t own it.
These commissioners are making things happen - changes that have only been talked about in the past.
Look at the health center poll - almost a tie. That means that the commissioners can’t ‘win’ that one, but that is not what it is about - it is about going in there and doing the job in a fiscally-responsible manner.
When will the 911 center be moving in to the remodeled Pollock Company warehouse?
By Just sayin, November 7, 2016 @ 9:03 AM
Clinton cleared AGAIN!
And Trump (changing his mind for the second time and back to his original thought)said Comey is crooked. The system is rigged.
The witch hunter just can’t make up his mind, can he???
And you heathens are all following him. You have the common sense and devilish ways of the 17th century witch hunters! You’re as closed-minded as them, too. This is 2016, folks. Live in our century.
What a HUGE BIG BABY and SPOILED BRAT Trump is. A complete CREEPY CLOWN!
Wah wah wah…
By Just sayin, November 7, 2016 @ 9:07 AM
So now Jensen praises the commissioners…wishy-washy, just like Trump.
Health Center is NOT in the red! Many baby boomers will keep that place alive. Keep the Health Center!
WWJD? What would Jesus do???
By Just sayin, November 7, 2016 @ 10:15 AM
WARNING!WARNING! All TRUMP SUPPORTERS VOTING FOR HIM ONLY BECAUSE HE IS PRO-LIFE—BE AWARE THAT LAST YEAR HE WAS PRO-CHOICE!!!
He is LYING to you!
By jd718, November 7, 2016 @ 11:17 AM
National Guest article shutdown! Tots losing it Again! LOL He’s Lame! LOL
By Just sayin, November 7, 2016 @ 12:00 PM
Hillary voters: Please wear all white or some white on voting day to honor voting for the first female for president. This is a national action.
Annie get your gun! Hillary Clinton 2016!!
National Guest article was shutdown (how convenient) —that’s why I’m commenting here.
By opie2, November 7, 2016 @ 12:43 PM
What about them Clowns!!!!!
By blutoblutarsky, November 7, 2016 @ 1:15 PM
@jd718
Scott lost his mind on that article. First he tried to say that calling someone “rainmanrider” wasn’t meant to call them autistic, it was simply to let them know they “made it rain at gentleman’s clubs”. He contradicted himself a few sentences later by saying he called them autistic on purpose to expose the hypocrisy of a group of people he chose not to define other than by calling them “you all”. He added that this imaginary group of people not only used the word “tard” repeatedly, but gave it the “ok” as well. HAHA Allegedly this was using this groups “tactics” against them!
Normally I would challenge Scott to prove that a group of people did this and outline who they are, but I think he’s embarrassed himself enough lately.
By Marc, November 7, 2016 @ 4:57 PM
Jensen,
I agree with your statement that these 3 commissioners are making things happen. Apparently the effort is over the head of some folks who wanted instantaneous results like ktownkid (or to complain about $12 pumpkins on every article).
The truth is that these guys seem to be on the right path.
Before you get too happy that I agree with you, I still want that contact list!!! LOL
By sickofpayingforit, November 7, 2016 @ 6:13 PM
Makes sense. County offices should be in the county seat, and should be in close proximity to the courthouse. Hopefully this consolidation, of sorts, is the sort of consolidation that historically speaking, saves money. I understand ASD has introduced the break-even-consolidated-economic-conundrum, and I think these three have lubed up the stringers on their abacuses to do the math BEFORE making the moves.
By jd718, November 8, 2016 @ 6:08 AM
Sayin, Happy election day… Vote Blue 2016
By ktown_kid, November 8, 2016 @ 8:14 AM
Oh don’t worry Marc, there will more shenanigans to come from these 3 clowns. Obviously you were one of the fools that bought $12 pumpkins and $3.50 hot dogs from renshaw. These offices were already planning the move with the last commissioners so don’t go doing jumping jacks over this article. Go check out the sink holes in the employees lot, the leaking roof with plastic used as a funnel to catch water, the broken elevator and the backed up sewage which results in toilets not flushing. Those are health code violations along with the elevator issue violating the ada.