Sewickley planners OK proposal for new realty offices

Construction could begin this spring on a more than $1 million office building that would provide Howard Hanna real-estate agents with a permanent location again in Sewickley.

A fire destroyed the company's offices on Broad Street in June.

The Sewickley Planning Commission approved the O'Hara-based real estate company's 4,500-square-foot building plan last week, in a 5-0 vote. Members Paul Pigman and Jamie Morrill were absent.

Council is expected to consider the plan at Monday's 7:30 p.m. meeting.

The building, with a planned red brick facade, would accommodate up to 39 agents and include work space and conference rooms, architect Stephen Casey said. It would include a mezzanine level.

The key to the building is to provide a proper terminus to the corner of Broad Street and Thorn, taking minor cues from the library and, because of the setback of the church, we're really in a prominent position here, said Casey, referring to nearby buildings. Hopefully, we're filling it with a building worthy of its prominent position.

Issues surrounding how rainwater would be collected and moved off the site would be worked into a developer's agreement with the borough, Sewickley manager Kevin Flannery said.

Coming up with parking for agents would be handled before the building opens, Howard Hanna property-management director Terry Corbett said.

After construction, the agency would work with the borough's tree commission to replant nearby trees, Flannery said.

The Sewickley real-estate office caught fire June 13, when a lightning strike hit the Sewickley United Methodist Church clock tower. The fire damaged the structure, displaced residents living above the offices and forced real-estate agents to work in temporary locations.

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Sewickley planners OK proposal for new realty offices