Officials eye land for new courthouse plaza
The land must be appraised before it's acquired.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Lawrence County commissioners say they are ready to make Courthouse Memorial Plaza a reality.
Two county commissioners say they want to take two remaining buildings on the triangle-shaped property adjacent to the county government center.
Commissioner Ed Fosnaught proposed buying it or using eminent domain, the government's right to take private property for public use, at Tuesday's meeting noting that the current owner is apparently making improvements to the buildings with new siding and other work.
"When you do something like that [take a property by eminent domain], you give the owner the value of the building. To sit here and watch the owner increase the value doesn't make sense to me," Fosnaught said.
That piece of land is essential to the Courthouse Memorial Plaza plan, a private/public partnership to beautify the area surrounding the government center.
The land, which now houses two large buildings, would be used to extend Milton Street to East Washington Street. That would eliminate a dangerous intersection and allow a better view of the government center from the main road, proponents say.
Roger Smith, president of New Visions of New Castle, a nonprofit corporation dedicated to beautifying the city, said his group has acquired all of the land downhill from these two buildings on the diamond shaped property.
Most of the land was bought by New Castle attorney Tom Shumaker, a former county commissioner who is working with New Visions.
Smith said New Visions plans have been on hold until the county proceeds with the extension of Milton Street.
"It's essential for the project to move on for the county to acquire that property," he said.
Negotiate
Shumaker said he appreciates Fosnaught taking the lead to propose the acquisition.
"He is forward looking on this matter," Shumaker said.
Commissioner Steve Craig said he supports the property acquisition, but wants to see if they can negotiate a sale with the property owner before using eminent domain.
The county's first step will be to hire an appraiser to assess the value of the land and buildings, officials said.
cioffi@vindy.com