Hill View sells for $190K at auction

The new owner plans to develop the former county nursing home site.
By VIRGINIA ROSS
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- After years of discussing it, Lawrence County officials have finally sold Hill View Manor to the highest bidder.
Helen Triko of Triko Enterprises Inc. of Allegheny County bought the former county nursing home for $190,000 at an auction Saturday.
The sale includes the three-story building and 13.8 acres. But the county commissioners rejected Triko's bid of $130,800 for the remaining 22 acres at the Shenango Township site and said if it is not sold, the county would look at developing that land or consider trying to sell it later.
Commissioners had the option to accept or reject any of the bids. For now, the remaining land will remain on the market.
Also not sold
Also, Triko's purchase does not include an area of the property that serves as a cemetery, or the access way to the cemetery.
"I have mixed emotions about this, of course," said Commissioner Ed Fosnaught.
"On one hand, we would have liked to have had a higher bid ... but we didn't get that," he said, adding that having the land back on tax rolls brings money to the county, and if the land is developed, it might mean new jobs for the area.
Commissioners must finalize the agreement with Triko by voting at a public meeting. Once the sale is finalized, the property Triko bought will be placed back on the county's tax rolls.
Commissioners agreed Triko's offer for the building and the nearly 14 acres is acceptable based on appraisals of the property they obtained and falls within a price range previously established. But the values of those appraisals have remained private and the commissioners would not disclose them Saturday.
For years the county has tossed around the idea of selling Hill View Manor, with previous commissioners' boards continually debating the issue. Two years ago the county tried to sell the site to Sylvan Heights Realty, but the deal fell through after reports that county funds were diverted to the realty company, which also was running the nursing home at the time.
Nursing home closes
Having operated for nearly 80 years, the home closed early last year after its residency continued to decline. The commissioners then agreed to put the property on the market. In February, they entered into a contract with real estate agent Darryl Audia to market the site. When no sales agreement was reached by the end of last month, the commissioners decided to put the property, the building and all of its contents on the auction block.
Nearly 100 people turned out for the Saturday morning auction, but only a few bids were offered for the site, which was split into two sections. The building and 13.8 acres were auctioned together, and then the remaining land. The building's contents were also auctioned individually.
Before accepting Triko's offer, the county unsuccessfully rebid the building and the property sold with it. Triko's bid was not challenged.
Wanted it all
"I'm a little disappointed we didn't get the rest of the property, but I'm happy to have gotten what we did," Triko said. "I'm surprised more people didn't bid on it, and that we were able to get it for such a low price."
Triko Enterprises, based in Allegheny County, has developed several properties and converted several sites, including the old school buildings in Coraopolis, into apartment complexes.
Triko said she is hoping to develop the Hill View Manor property.