Hits and Misses
HIT: When the Cool Valley development was first approved in Cecil Township in 2010, it was envisioned as a glittering companion to Southpointe, a sprawling park thick with offices, lodging and shopping. But then one year went by, then another, and nothing happened with Cool Valley, even as the economy heated up following the chill of the Great Recession. A sign heralding Cool Valley has remained on Morganza Road, but the phone number on it has long been disconnected, and the web address on it leads nowhere. So it was a surprise when the office of Gov. Tom Wolf announced Aug. 10 that it was providing a $1 million grant for construction to begin at the site, with basic infrastructure to be put in place within 21 months. Having been moribund for so long, it’s probably best to take a wait-and-see approach. There are no signs that a groundbreaking will happen anytime soon. Nevertheless, considering the hundreds of jobs the project would create, we are pleased to see some movement on it.
MISS: For the past two years, California University of Pennsylvania’s new Vulcan parking garage has been unused after a section of the second-floor deck suddenly collapsed on student move-in day in August 2016. Now we may know why. The university is suing the project’s general contractor, Manheim Corp of Pittsburgh, after it used a carbon fiber support structure rather than typical steel reinforcement rods. The university originally wanted the steel rebar supports, but Manheim returned with a bid that included the carbon fiber option to lower the price on the project, which the university agreed upon to save money. Now, the university is weighing its options on whether to fix or demolish the five-story garage that cost nearly $10.5 million. Sometimes, you get what you pay for.
HIT: We would be remiss if we didn’t pay tribute to St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church in Washington on the occasion of its 200th anniversary. Founded in 1818, the church is not only the oldest black church in our community but also has the distinction of being one of the oldest black Methodist churches west of the Allegheny Mountains. While attendance has declined from a high of 200 in the 1950s to its current 70-member roster, the church is resolute in its commitment to offer spiritual guidance to its congregation. “What it means for a church to be in existence for this long – it means the church has served its community well,” the Rev. Oliver Tyler, church pastor, told the Observer-Reporter last Sunday. We couldn’t agree more.