Butler is abuzz with development
Development continues in and around Butler despite a poor economic climate.
While some projects, such as the Centre City and rehabilitation of the Penn Theater are crawling along, other initiatives to improve Main Street, as well as work on the former Trinity site along Hansen Avenue, are moving full speed ahead.
"We face the same economic challenges as any small town, but when you look around, it's all positive," Mayor Maggie Stock said.
"We've got lots of groups working on projects that are going to change the image of this city. It's reminding even the locals that we have a very viable hometown."
Stock cited the Trinity site and the Butler Transit Authority's Intermodal Transit Center as proof of progress.
"Does it all move fast enough for me? No, never. But there is a great deal of optimism. You can't listen to all the naysayers out there. We have a lot more opportunities than some places, I think," Stock said.
"There's a lot of good people putting in a lot of hours to make things happen."
Here is a look at the status of Butler's major development projects:
Centre CityAccording to city officials, the much-discussed Centre City project continues to languish in limbo, likely until the national economy hits a sustained upswing.Centre City, introduced in 2007, is planned to include a 14,400-square-foot Rite Aid drugstore; a hotel with retail shopping at the site of the parking lot at the corner of South Main and East Cunningham streets; a mini convention center with a tier parking garage at the corner of East Cunningham and South McKean streets; and apartments or condominiums at the corner of South McKean and East Jefferson streets.It remains a waiting game, said Perry O'Malley, city redevelopment authority director, because financing terms are favorable to developers, but no money is available to lend, except for large-scale projects.He said the existence of large projects, such as development in Cranberry Township, is indicative that investor money is becoming available again, and he expects a mid-sized project like Centre City soon could find the funding it requires."Lending conditions are excellent, but the money is not there so the Rite-Aid developer can't get the loan," O'Malley said."I have two 'hot-to-trot' hotel developers ready as well trying to raise money."There is something going on with this project every day. These deals take several years anyway. It's just extra hard right now."Dr. John Hiras and his office, Butler Dental Associates, are at 121 S. Main St., but he has bought the former Wishing Well property, now a grass lot at the corner of West Cunningham and North Main streets.He plans to build an office there that will house his practice and a laboratory.The latest development in the Centre City saga was a closing meeting on July 25 that yielded the sale of one building on the block: 115 S. Main St., which has been home to Ruffles & Truffles children's clothing store for six years and the former Robert's Bakery."The developers have had a terrible time trying to get financing," said Becky Smith, Butler's Main Street manager."We would still love to see a hotel. We know the need is there in the county, and with downtown being so walkable and amenable to visitors, it would be a great addition."
Butler DowntownButler Downtown accomplished many of its goals in 2009, but its four committees have their sights set on grander achievements in 2010."My volunteers are very excited and very ambitious. We got a lot done last year but this one looks to be even more exciting," Smith said.It is the role of Butler Downtown and its four committees — design, organization, promotions and economic restructuring — to create a plan of what downtown ought to look like, how it should be promoted, and how it should be organized.The economic restructuring committee's plan for a local economic revitalization tax assistance program was approved by city council in November.That initiative waives 100 percent of property taxes that result from improvements made to the properties of current and new business owners downtown. It is intended to encourage economic growth along Main Street.In addition to the city, Butler County and the Butler School District would have to approve the LERTA program."The economic restructuring committee is scheduled to have its first meeting with the school board's financial advisory committee, to propose the LERTA, and wants to meet with the county," Smith said."It may take a couple of months if (the school) decides to move forward with it."Smith said the committee continues to research other incentives that could benefit the downtown and the city as a whole, including compilation of a list and pamphlets describing the benefits of business ownership in Butler to attract business owners there.The design committee counts the Wayne Street mural project, the facade improvement program, and the Make a Difference Day cleanup among its accomplishments.The committee is working with the state Department of Transportation to inventory every sign in the city and to remove the unnecessary ones.The city also is coordinating its plan to route the Butler-Freeport Community Trail through the city on its way to connect with the North Country Trail in Moraine State Park, Smith said."Both of those projects continue to move forward. Penn-DOT recently came and worked with city officials to remove unnecessary signs and scout spots (for ones that will be useful)," Smith said."Once the weather clears, we want to take photos at specific blocks, for before and after locations, to show the improved appearance along Main Street."In 2009, the promotions committee teamed with Armstrong to provide free wireless Internet service to Diamond Park, succeeded in attracting the National Club Baseball Association's Division II World Series to Pullman Park, and established historical trolley and walking tours downtown."We want to continue tours, but we haven't discussed yet whether they will be walking or trolley. We did a total of six last year, so we'd like to continue some sort of tour downtown (in 2010)," Smith said.The promotions committee is planning a Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival."The (county) tourism bureau is spearheading that event, which is planned for August of 2011 and celebrates the 70th anniversary of the Bantam Jeep," Smith said of the vehicle which was designed here."But we want to work with the historical society, tourism bureau and Jeep enthusiast groups to make it a historical education piece throughout 2010 since the anniversary starts this year."
Penn TheaterThe Redevelopment Authority of Butler assumed control of the Penn Theater in June and wants to start a capital fundraiser with a goal of $250,000.The plan is to raise money and remake the Main Street landmark into "an anchor to downtown's activities in the future," O'Malley said.The authority has about $100,000 from previous grants, a pledge of $100,000 from the city and $500,000 in possible tax financing district funding from the Centre City project available if the authority can demonstrate the theater will generate future tax revenue to allocate toward the theater's $3 million renovation cost.The Penn Theater Trust, whose board of directors recently expanded from four to seven members, continues to handle day-to-day operations of the theater and will reacquire the theater once renovations are complete."The board is reorganizing. They are adding a few new board members and have met with the redevelopment authority a few times. Things at least have been positively moving forward," Smith said.O'Malley said the biggest impediment to the project is a lack of state funding. State Department of Community and Economic Development Block Grants typically contribute heavily to projects such as Centre City and the Penn Theater."I'm negotiating with an architectural design firm to actually come up with a construction plan. We'd all like to go ahead, I just have to find the money for it," O'Malley said."The state is in dire financial straits right now. We haven't had any community development stimulus funds."
Butler Transit AuthorityThe Butler Transit Authority in late January finished installing voice enunciation systems, LED signs and global positional system (GPS) tracking devices in its buses, according to John Paul, executive director of the BTA."We are excited. There are a lot of things going on this year, and we hope these systems will enhance ridership," Paul said.He also said work is progressing on schedule for the authority's Intermodal Transit Center along Hansen Avenue.Other new technology, the voice enunciation systems, which end the need for drivers to announce stops, also bring The Bus into compliance with the federal Americans With Disabilities Act and Pennsylvania's Act 44 performance measures, which require transit systems to evaluate efficiency every three years to be eligible for state funding.Avail Technologies in State College produced and installed the systems.An LED sign was placed in each bus to display stops for the hearing impaired, and automatic passenger counters were added to track ridership, freeing BTA employees from that task.The GPS devices in each of the authority's six buses allow the BTA to track its buses in real time, an ability the authority would like to extend to the public riders."We can go online now and see where every bus currently in the system is," Paul said."If we ever get into the commuter business, (public access to the GPS) would be extremely beneficial to that commuter base."In addition to the on-bus improvements, the authority will add a large LCD screen to its West Cunningham Street transfer center, providing riders with information on departure times."The board is ready, but we are conducting 30 to 45 days of data collection so stops can properly be matched to the schedule as printed," Paul said.The LED screen will be placed where it can be seen from outside on nights and weekends when the terminal is closed.The price tag for all of the improvements is about $411,000.Paul said the authority hopes to have the buses operating from the new Intermodal Transit Center by the end of the year."The footers are in and the trenching for the utilities is ongoing. The utility tap-ins provided by the Community Development Corporation (of Butler County) are in place, so all the infrastructure is here. We hope to be erecting steel here in early spring," Paul said.The BTA broke ground for the first phase of the $13 million project on Dec. 1.Uhl Construction of Allison Park was contracted to build the 7,000-square-foot office building, which will house the BTA and Butler Area Rural Transit offices, a maintenance and wash bay building, and an enclosed storage area for the BART shared-ride and BTA buses.That first phase of the center, costing about $7.5 million, is funded by $5.3 million in federal economic stimulus funds as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and $2.4 million in previously allocated federal dollars.Due to its energy-efficient construction, the facility will be the first transit center in Pennsylvania to be certified in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED.The second phase of construction, which is yet to be funded and has no set timeline, will add a passenger waiting area for interconnecting bus routes and Park 'N Ride commuters.The public can view aerial photographs of the building's progress online at www.butlertransitauthority.com.
The ex-Trinity siteThe seven-acre BTA site is at the center of 40 acres formerly owned by Trinity Industries in Dallas.The Community Development Corporation of Butler County, the site's current owner, has completed infrastructure work on the property, including lines for sewage, water and electric service.Diane Sheets, executive director for the CDC, said late last year that renovation of the one building it saved from the Pullman-Standard plant, the former maintenance building, was ready to begin.The building will be converted into space for offices.But environmental remediation and a state budget that was delayed for more than 100 days has stalled progress on construction.
