Council OK sought on office-retail project near proposed theater in Sewickley

Developer Peter Friday wants to start work next month on a project that could add thousands of square feet of office and retail space to Sewickley's business district.

But he needs borough council's approval on Monday night before forging ahead with plans to celebrate a groundbreaking in October.

Friday, president of Forbes Trail Development Co., is building an 8,500-square-foot office building that includes a first-floor coffee shop on property near Walnut and Thorn streets in Sewickley. It's the first of a series of projects planned for that area.

The vacant land had been part of the Ascot and Rolls Royce dealership before closing and being sold in 2012 to One Village Square LLC for $175,000.

The mixed-use development would consist of upper-floor office space, he said.

We think there's demand for shared office space, Friday said.

A coffee shop could be added on the ground floor of the proposed development, Friday said.

The development would be built near a two-screen movie theater Village Theater Co. is proposing.

That nonprofit group also is targeting a groundbreaking on the Walnut Street property sometime in October, theater group Vice President Susan Kaminski said. The group signed a lease agreement with the borough, which owns the property the theater will use.

While the development and that of the nonprofit group will fall under the Theater Square name, Friday said the buildings would not have similar appearances, adding that different building materials would be used since the projects are not connected.

Excerpt from:
Council OK sought on office-retail project near proposed theater in Sewickley