Luxury apartment complex plan still alive in Dormont

Dormont has extended its lease negotiation period for one year with the potential developer of borough-owned property at the Dormont Junction light-rail transit stop.

Borough council on Monday voted to continue to negotiate exclusively with Fore Property Co. of Washington, D.C., which proposes building a 240-unit luxury apartment complex as a transit-oriented development. Councilman John Maggio voted against the measure.

The borough property is next to the Port Authoritys 165-space park-n-ride lot near the intersection of Biltmore and West Liberty avenues. The Port Authority also has approved extending the lease negotiation period.

A lease agreement must gain approval from several entities, including the Federal Transit Administration, before construction can take place.

Unfortunately, the FTA will not approve any leases at this time that are not fully funded, borough manager Jeff Naftal wrote in a memorandum to council. The borough is working with state lawmakers for public funding toward the project.

Fores concept is for a five-story apartment building, The Junction, with a primary entrance facing West Liberty Avenue and a second entrance connecting to the light-rail station. The complex would include 500 parking spaces, 100 of them available for public use.

The project will be designed and built with sustainable principles and practices to create a healthy living environment, minimize energy consumption and use materials responsibly, Fore wrote in its proposal to the borough.

As part of the project, Biltmore Avenue would be widened to create an additional lane, and a new traffic signal would be placed on West Liberty, at Fores expense.

Council President Bill McCartney said the value of the property when developed is estimated at $40 million to $42 million, which would increase the value of all property in the borough by about 10 percent.

In voting against extending the lease negotiation period, Mr. Maggio said he is concerned about increasing Dormonts population density, which is among the highest in Pennsylvania.

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Luxury apartment complex plan still alive in Dormont