ESB Bank purchases land adjacent to Hill View Manor

Tom Leslie was hired as county solicitor.
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Hill View Manor and some nearby vacant land should be out of the county's ownership by the end of the year.
Lawrence County commissioners agreed to enter into a sales agreement with ESB Bank for the 21.84 acres of vacant land adjacent to the former county nursing home on Pa. Route 65. ESB has offered $476,000 for the property.
The former nursing home was sold at auction in September to Triko Enterprises of McKees Rocks, Pa. The closing on that property was Monday, but the deed has not yet been filed.
Commissioner Dan Vogler said there was a problem with a portion of the existing driveway showing up on the deed as part of the second parcel that ESB is buying.
Vogler said they expect to grant an easement for Triko to use the property, which is about 10 to 12 feet off its land. Tom Angotti, group vice president of administration for ESB, said the easement should not be a problem.
Plans for property
He said the bank has not worked out the details of what it will do with the land, but it may hold it for sale to others or place a bank branch on the site.
"We have interest in it because it's in a good area and there's not much else for sale there," he said.
Commissioner Ed Fosnaught said he expects the ESB sale will be completed before year's end.
Vogler abstained from voting on the land sale deal, saying he and his wife own ESB stock.
Vogler did say commissioners expect to use the proceeds from the sale of both pieces of property for future capital expenses.
Hill View Manor was sold at auction for $190,000. After expenses, deductions and a credit given to the buyers for necessary clean up of the building, the county will receive $173,685 from the sale, Vogler said.
Helen Triko has said her company is still crystallizing plans for the building and would not release any details until next year.
County solicitor
In other business, commissioners hired Tom Leslie as the county solicitor at a salary of $40,000 per year. He replaces John Hodge, who resigned after winning a seat as a Lawrence County Common Court Pleas judge in the last election. Hodge was paid $45,374.87 as solicitor.