LAWRENCE COUNTY New Castle council considers way to get property

The New Castle Rotary wants to help develop the Park Avenue Playground.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- City council is considering bringing in the Lawrence County Redevelopment Authority to help develop Riverview Commerce Park.
The authority has the ability to take property by eminent domain. Eminent domain is the government's right to take property from private landowners, usually in exchange for fair compensation.
Linda Nitch, executive director of the Lawrence County Economic Development Corp., said the former Shenango China property has been a stumbling block in developing the park, which would be used for light industrial facilities. The park is located off Sampson Street.
Canadian businessman David Choi has owned the property for about 12 years, but has resisted local offers to develop the land.
"He's always been very nice, but he's always walked away even when local people have given him money. He's given it back saying it was not enough," Nitch said.
Nitch characterized the county Redevelopment Authority as the "hammer" to get Choi to cooperate.
Business on property
Jim Gilson, director of operations at Shenango Advanced Ceramics, a business located on Choi's property, told council he would like to expand, but the current building is in poor condition and the landlord will not make improvements.
He said they expect to double their work force of 22 in the next two to three years, but they need to know within the next nine to 12 months whether improvements will be made to the current building.
James Gagliano, county redevelopment authority executive director, told council the city must ask the authority for assistance before it can get involved. The city has its own redevelopment authority, but it has been inactive for several years.
Nitch noted that Shenango Refractories is starting to manufacture ceramic boats that are used by the semi-conductor industry. Officials have been trying to attract a semiconductor company to the nearby Millennium Park in Neshannock Township.
Playground
In other business, city officials are trying to determine if its feasible to once again revamp the Park Avenue Playground plans.
Diane Coury Jacobs and Kathleen Graziani of New Castle Rotary 89 approached council about making the park a Rotary project. But the women asked that council put off awarding bids for new tennis courts this week because they would like to have a multiuse sports court on the site.
City officials, however, are worried that the Rotary waited too long to offer its assistance. The city must complete the tennis courts and playground at the park by Dec. 19 under order of the U.S. Department of the Interior.
The park was developed to replace the Laurel Avenue Playground, which was sold to a private developer. Federal funds had been used to develop Laurel Avenue and the government requires that a comparable site be located within the city to replace it.
Tammi Gibson, city business administrator, and Paula Cialella, city solicitor, said they would try to contact federal officials to see if changes could be made to the plan.
Council members said they must know by Thursday or they plan to award a bid to A.R. Oliastro Inc. of Ellwood City to put in tennis courts. The company was the only bidder for the project that will cost $93,054. A $95,000 grant is paying for the work.
cioffi@vindy.com