Real estate notes: Penn Twp. flooring company breaks ground on expansion

Following ground breaking Sept. 17, a July 2015 completion is scheduled for the expansion of Karndean Design Flooring in Penn Township, Westmoreland County, which will double the current 35,000-square-foot building and add 38 new jobs over three years to the 69 currently employed there. Karndean, a United Kingdom-based floor covering company known for its vinyl product that can be manufactured to look and feel like marble, slate or wood, has been at its current location corner Pontiac and Randall courts in the Bushy Run Corporate Park since 2004 when it relocated from North Versailles. This is Karndean's U.S. corporate location. The state Department of Community and Economic Development provided a $75,000 grant, $17,100 for skills training and $76,000 in job-creation tax credits to the project which Landau Building Co. of McCandless is construction manager. Earlier this year the area was designated for a temporary tax-abatement program.

When the Salvation Army opened its new South Side store on Sept. 18, it brought 10 new jobs to the neighborhood. The store, which occupies 15,000 square feet at 855 E. Carson St., offers clothing, household items, books, toys, furniture and collectables. The location also accepts donations, and during after store hours, clothing donations can be made by placing them in bins in the parking lot. Tax receipts are provided donations during store hours.

Sota Construction Service, will seek approval Thursday from the Pittsburgh Zoning Board of Adjustment for a three-story 23-unit housing development at 2139 Wharton St., South Side. Ponte Vista Lofts LLC is the property owner. Also that day, two applicants will seek approval to establish clubs. Mixtape LLC wants to use a one-story structure at 4907 Penn Ave., Garfield, and Clarence E. Porter wants to use a one-story structure at 15 Wooster St., Middle Hill. New Grace Baptist Church wants to construct a one-story structure at 7711 Tioga St., Homewood South, for use as religious assembly with 12 parking spaces and Calvin and Pamela Sheffield seek approval for a rear addition to an existing funeral home at 225 Beltzhoover Ave., Allentown, for use as a crematorium.

The Economic Growth Connection of Westmoreland County has received a $430,000 Pennsylvania First grant to renovate and remediate the Mount Pleasant Glass Center. The funds will be used to eliminate lead and arsenic contamination found in three units within the Center, which when completed, will allow WATT Fuel Cell to enter the Center. WATT, a manufacturer of solid oxide fuel cell systems, has leased 24,000 square feet and will relocate from New York. It will create 33 new jobs over three years.

Three projects in Pittsburgh will share $2.3 million in state grants from the Commonwealth Finance Authority, State Rep. Jake Wheatley, D-Hill District, reports:

Almono LP will receive $400,000 toward construction of the 1.5 mile Signature Boulevard streetscape in the 178 acre development by the Regional Industrial Development Corp. of Southwestern Pennsylvania. The $6.05 million project includes a storm water system, installation of sidewalks to handicap standards, street lighting and directional signs for vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists.

Smithfield Oliver Partners LP (McKnight Realty and Millcraft Investments) will receive $1.1 million toward construction of the Smithfield Street Multimodal Transportation Center at the site of former Saks Fifth Avenue department store building, Downtown. The project includes construction of a 585-car parking garage, 60 bicycle parking spaces and an electric car charging station, sidewalk enhancements and improvements to the crosswalks surrounding the project site. Also, the project proposes to convert Oliver Avenue into a two-way street.

Three Crossings LP, will receive $800,000 toward building an intermodal transportation facility in the Strip District. Plans include 575 public and private parking spaces, 100 bicycle spaces, a bicycle repair station, electric vehicle charging stations, kayak storage and to accommodate a transit center for future development of the Green Boulevard transit line. Half of the parking spaces will be for the public and half for office workers and residents of the Yard, the 299-unit apartments planned by the developer, Oxford Development Co. The McCaffery Interests of Chicago will manage the apartments. The three-story 52,946-square-foot office building, which already has Rycon Construction leasing about 30,000 square feet, will be located at 2501 Smallman St. Ground breaking for both buildings is scheduled in October.

Sam Spatter

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Real estate notes: Penn Twp. flooring company breaks ground on expansion