Officials OK sale of Zelie building
ZELIENOPLE — An agreement between the borough and a local businessman regarding ownership of the historic Kaufman House wrapped up this week, 14 years sooner than expected.
During a meeting Monday borough council members approved a sealed bid to sell the historic property to K-House Zelie Associates.
Built in 1903, the Kaufman House has been a fixture in the borough for more than 100 years. It closed in 2011 after a kitchen fire severely damaged the building.
A major reconstruction project began in March 2017, with the borough purchasing the building from Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau. The borough agreed to pay for as much of the exterior refurbishment of the Zelienople landmark as possible through a grant. The work was done through a $3 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant that the state awarded to Zelienople for the revitalization efforts, which also included park and Main Street improvements.
Local businessman Pat Boylan stepped up to fund the interior refurbishment and any exterior work not covered by the grant.
Under the agreement reached in 2017, Boylan would buy back the building from the borough in no more than 15 years, repaying the full amount spent by the borough and canceling out the public funding used. The building would then become a private business on the borough's tax rolls.
On Monday, council approved a lease addendum for the property to allow for it to be sold via sealed bid. They then approved the sale to Boylan's K-House Zelie Associates, the only bidder.
According to borough Manager Don Pepe, the deal being done sooner is a “win-win” for everyone involved. He said the borough will recoup the money spent, and the tenants will be able to finish whatever work remains without the borough's ownership looming.
“It makes me very happy,” Pepe said.
Boylan could not be reached for comment.
