DERRY, Pa. — Nearly 18 acres of vacant land sits just off of West Third Street and 219. It’s the site of a former Westinghouse ceramic insulator plant, which was revamped as Porcelain Park. The Westmoreland County Redevelopment Authority bought it in 2010 and has been working to redevelop it since.
“Now we’re looking for developers and tenants to occupy this space,” said Westmoreland County Redevelopment Authority Executive Director Brian Lawrence
Earlier this year, the redevelopment authority and land bank entered into a conditional deal with Landmark Properties Group to sell the land to them.
That will happen in a few months if the properties group can line up tenants for the property.
“It all goes back to the basics of what makes a community hum, and that’s jobs,” Lawrence said. “If a site like this is ready to support those jobs, we want to be there repositioning that property into that new use.”
They’re also working with Harvest Commercial Real Estate Services to market the property to light manufacturing businesses and secure those tenants.
Once they have tenants, the redevelopment authority is looking into installing roads and utilities to help spur development. That comes at a cost of nearly $2.4 million.
“So, the hope is if we can install the roadway infrastructure, and the utilities, and break the parcel up into smaller pieces, it can help give smaller developers an opportunity, smaller business to occupy 10-to-70,000 square feet, versus 200 or 300, 400,000 square feet,” Lawrence said.
As for when that work could start?
“It’s hard to determine a time frame,” Lawrence said. “Right now, it’s about finding those tenants and potential businesses to occupy the space.”
Businesses interested in the property can call the Westmoreland County Redevelopment Authority at (724) 830-3050.
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