Jul 11, 2022 4 min read

Plans to develop apartment buildings in Bethel Park have met with some opposition.

The building plan calls for four, 24-unit buildings containing 96 apartments on four lots on South Park Road, just below Sonnybrook Court.

The developer of the project is A.R. Building Company, which is based in Seven Fields (Butler County).

Emily Mitchell, vice president of A.R. Building, said the apartments will be a mix of one and two-bedroom market rate units. She added the company manages the apartments it develops.

“I think they’re going to be a great opportunity for the area,” Mitchell said. “We see a lot of need for new housing in the area. We like the location a lot, how it’s right on South Park Road with the access to all of the amenities. We also like the access to transit there.”

Currently, there are four single family homes on those lots, which are located just below Sonnybrook Court. The homes are owned by Paulick Family Limited Partnership, who plans to consolidate the four lots (2530, 2320, 2500 and 2498 South Park Road) into one lot.

That means those houses on those lots will be taken down to make way for the development……..

The properties are zoned R-4 Multi-Family and have been zoned that way for many years. That allows for this type of development in that area.

A.R. Building presented its plan at a workshop meeting held June 29 in council chambers.

“People got to express their point of view,” said Councilman Todd Cenci. “They were overwhelmingly against it. I don’t think there was one person who was for it.” 

Cenci is the councilman for Ward 4 of the municipality, where the development will be located.

The councilman understands the plea of the residents of the area, but also understands the quest of the property owners who want to cash in on a hot real estate market.

Mitchell said the people in attendance were curious and raised concerns about certain things such as how the company maintains its building.

“We build our projects and then we manage them,” Mitchell explained. “We’re not a company that goes in and entitles a project, then sells it off. We actually manage the projects in house.”

There also were concerns raised about how the development would impact traffic in the area, stormwater runoff and a possible buffer zone between the apartments and the existing homes.

Mitchell did say Penn-DOT is requiring an additional traffic study, the result of which should be available in a few weeks. She said stormwater will be controlled with two underground retention tanks and here is a landscaping plan which will act as a buffer zone.

“We’re investing in the area, and we want to be good neighbors,” Mitchell said. 

One thing Cenci hopes he can negotiate as part of the development is a buffer zone between the apartments and nearby houses.

“I think that’s needed,” he said. “Hopefully, if they can do that I can bring that back to the people. I hope we can work together and I hope these people give some consideration to those who live there. They’re coming into they’re neighborhood, so let’s be kind.”

There is still much to be done as the plan progresses.

A site plan will need to be approved by Bethel Park’s Planning Commission and Council. Approval also will be needed from PennDOT for access to the state road. Mitchell said the approval process with the state could take a matter of months 

“As soon as we get approvals, we’re ready to get into the ground and get started,” Mitchell said.

A.R. Building has its own construction team, so that helps expedite the process. 

Mitchell said the site work could take nine months to a year and getting the buildings built will probably take about two years on top of that.

  

He also wouldn’t mind if the number of apartments was decreased to about 85-90.

 There will be 1 entrance/exit onto South Park rd for those 96 units. 

just imagine the impact 96+ more residents will have!     

“That’s his right,” Cenci said. “I’m sure it was great having a nice empty field in your back yard for those residents, but time goes on.”