In Liberty, it’s down with Phar-Mor, up with Wal-Mart

By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.

VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF

LIBERTY — What has been known to area residents for more than five decades as the Liberty Plaza on Belmont Avenue will be seeing some major changes in the coming months.

One-half of the plaza has met with the wrecking ball in anticipation of a new Wal-Mart store, and the other half of the plaza has changed ownership.

The section of Liberty Plaza that was once home to Hills Department Store and Phar-Mor discount drugstore sat vacant early Tuesday, as it has been for months. By the early afternoon, heavy trucks had moved in and the once-solid structure began to come down.

Township Fire Chief Michael Durkin said the building should be demolished in about 30 days.

Wal-Mart purchased about 55 percent of the plaza property to build the store. The store will face Belmont.

Township Trustee Jodi Stoyak watched the building come down from across the parking lot. She said members of the community and township officials are excited about the Wal-Mart store. She expects no resistance to the store’s being built.

“This project is totally supported by the community,” she said. “We have had this building empty for so long that residents are supportive of this entire project.”

A major section of the plaza has been empty for about 10 years.

Township Administrator Pat Ungaro, also watching the demolition in the parking lot, said building the store is a sign of better things to come in the township.

Ungaro said the township is hoping to get two more major retail projects where the former Ramada Inn building on Belmont now stands. The new development in conjunction with the 7/11 connector, he said, will be a major boost to the area.

“The point is that everything, all the businesses, left Belmont several years ago and that hurt all the other businesses. Now we are working in the other direction with more development,” he said. “Everything took a lot longer than I thought, but it’s all coming together.”

According to Stoyak, residents can also be excited about plans for the portion of the plaza property not purchased by Wal-Mart. She said the land will be purchased by Ballymoney Real Estate Services in Pittsburgh. The purchase agreement should be final by the end of the week, she said.

The section of the plaza to be sold to the real estate company still holds a grocery store, beauty supply store, furniture store, restaurants and a few other businesses.

Stoyak said the new company plans to refurbish the side of the plaza it bought and add a few new stores. She said township officials have spoken to the company about what is most needed in the township — things such as coffee shops and bookstores.

Ungaro said Wal-Mart has indicated that construction on the new store will begin in March and should be completed sometime early next year.

jgoodwin@vindy.com