Wednesday, December 19, 2001
The City Rescue Mission has asked Penn Power to donate its service building for the mission's use.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- When developers come calling, the New Castle City Rescue Mission wants to be ready.
That's why Kevin Green, mission executive director, is looking for help from U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum to find a new location for the charitable social service agency -- possibly to a building now owned by Penn Power.
Green said he's been contacted by developers working on a project downtown who want to buy the City Rescue Mission on Croton Avenue and fill it with retail shops.
Developers Tom George, Bob Bruce and their families are working on a Warner Bros.-theme mall in three downtown buildings.
The Neisner-Centennial Building on Mill and East Washington streets and the Troutman building on East Washington Street are the first part of the development and will have retail shops, restaurants and a nickelodean theater, developers have said.
Second phase: Green said the City Rescue Mission would be part of a second phase of that project because it is near the other buildings along the Neshannock Creek.
John DiMuccio, city administrator, said he is unaware of plans for a second phase. City officials are participating in the downtown redevelopment project by resurfacing streets and sidewalks and creating more downtown parking. They are spending city and state money on the project.
"Of course, we would like to see that riverfront developed, but we've not even addressed a second phase of the project," DiMuccio said. He noted that the first phase is starting early next year.
The private developers could not be reached to comment.
Green said he was only looking out for the future of the City Rescue Mission, which includes housing for homeless men, a food bank and other programs for the needy, when he asked for assistance from state and national leaders at a prayer meeting a few weeks ago.
About a week later, he got a call from Santorum's office asking if the senator could tour the City Rescue Mission when he came to New Castle this week.
Green said he asked Santorum to facilitate meetings with "the right people" to help the City Rescue Mission find a new home if it is displaced by development.
Green said he has asked Penn Power to donate its maintenance and operations building on South Jefferson Street to the mission but had not received a response before Santorum's visit Monday.
Not determined: Although the maintenance building has become too large for Penn Power's needs, it's not clear if it will be sold or vacated by the company, said Jeff Elser, Penn Power president.
"Penn Power has been considering and reviewing its needs for a new service building. We have not finalized any plans for that as of this point and, therefore, we are not doing anything with our existing building," Elser said.
He added they have had about a half-dozen inquiries to buy the building, but until they find a new location, it isn't for sale.
Green said he's only trying to prepare the City Rescue Mission for the future and that was his purpose for meeting with Santorum this week and issuing a press release stating that his agency was interested in the Penn Power building.
"I just want everyone to know my goals and objectives. If we don't have a facility to move to in 18 months, I don't want to be stuck," he said. "I can't wait until 2003 when people are waiting to knock down the building or move in."
cioffi@vindy.com