HERMITAGE Park plan gets boost from state

The project is a joint effort between Hermitage and a private developer.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
HERMITAGE, Pa. -- The city's plan to help develop Gateway Commerce Park on Pa. Route 18 got a major boost with the announcement that the state will put up $2.5 million for the project.
State and local officials were to gather at the municipal building today to reveal state support for the planned technical park from Pennsylvania's capital budget grant program.
The 110-acre site will be a combination municipal-private partnership between the city and KAKE Development Co. of Hermitage, according to the capital budget grant application filed by the city in May 2000.
The park is to be developed in three phases.
KAKE development already owns the 16-acre first phase and the 32-acre second phase and has one tenant, Regional Cardiology Center, in the first phase.
To buy property: The city intends to buy the remaining 60-plus acres in conjunction with KAKE and had indicated earlier this year that some computer-related businesses are interested in the area.
The land is the former Chadderton Airport property.
The capital budget grant will be used to help buy the land and extend utility lines into the second- and third-phase portions of the park.
The state assistance must be matched with local funds, and the application relied on KAKE's ownership and previous improvements in the first two phases as a big part of that match. The city is also putting up $250,000 from its municipal land bank program, as well as other funds.
The total project cost has been estimated at $5.7 million.
The state grant includes $400,000 for recreational development around the park. It will be open to the public, and will include walkways, trees and a greenway buffer and landscaping.
The development plan submitted with the application shows 59 building lots, with eight in phase one, 20 in phase two and the rest in phase three.