Proposed Committee to Assist Dormont in #1 Cochran Discussion
A committee of local business owners and residents could help Dormont Council with discussions of #1 Cochran’s expansion in the borough.
Dormont Council plans to vote next week to appoint a steering committee of local business owners and residents to help the borough negotiate the proposed #1 Cochran development on West Liberty Avenue.
The committee would be made up of local business owners and residents in the area of the Cochran Nissan Dealership on West Liberty Avenue that could be affected by the dealership’s possible expansion in the area.
“They would not be negotiators, and they would not have a veto,” said council President Bill McCartney. “What they would do is serve as a sounding board for alternatives and negotiating strategies, as well as a voice of reason in the community so we have folks out there who know what’s going on all the time.”
The proposal included construction of a Volkswagen showroom, a #1 Cochran South Hills Service and Collision Center in Castle Shannon, site improvements to the Nissan center, and a new Nissan showroom on West Liberty Avenue. A new Infiniti showroom next to the Nissan site also is proposed. Of those projects, the only definite plans are for the Nissan development.
Since that meeting, McCartney said, council determined that a small committee of council, supported by a real estate attorney, would be necessary as the borough moves forward with negotiations. McCartney said council hopes to find an “experienced, seasoned” real estate attorney with experience in commercial real estate to assist the borough.
“We do not intend to use Cochran’s numbers to cut a deal with Cochran,” he said.
Parts of real estate negotiations can not be made public, he said, but proposals provided by #1 Cochran will be made public as it is legal to do so. He also said rumors that council already has sold property to #1 Cochran are not true.
“We’re not going to rush into anything,” he said. “We’re not going to give parking lots away or any of that stuff.”
At the next meeting, council plans to authorize the appointment of a real estate attorney to assist in these matters.
The next Dormont Council meeting is March 5 at 7 p.m. in the recreation center above Dormont Pool.
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In This article
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Dormont Municipal Center
1444 Hillsdale Ave, Pittsburgh, PA -
Cochran Nissan of South Hills
3200 W Liberty Ave, Pittsburgh, PA -
Bob Dobbs
1:33 pm on Tuesday, February 28, 2012
wow, this is going to choke up West Liberty Blvd. traffic a bunch more .
Lou Pietosi
2:57 pm on Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Looking for a seasoned Real Estate Attorney? None better than William Ball of Bankers Settlement. 412 456 9700. I have dealt and worked with Bill for about 12 years. He KNOWS Real Estate Law!
Joseph M. Costanzo
3:37 pm on Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Lou, He needs to send an RFP to the Borough Building.
Lou Pietosi
2:58 pm on Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Bob I understand your concerns about traffic BUT--there is NOTHING more depressing than driving freely down a street of empty buildings where thriving businesses once stood! I think this is a big shot in the arm for Dormont and the economy in general in the surrounding area.
Ronald Ragghianti
3:48 pm on Tuesday, February 28, 2012
I think it a big shot in the arm for Cochrin,if you drive down the strip between Dell and McFarlind there's no vacanciese.last year 4 new businesses came in. Let Cochrin take 35 parking spots from the businesses and then you will see some vacancies
MSgt. John DeLallo
11:32 am on Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Again, I raise the idea of a parking garage. Surely Cochran can be convinced that off street parking for its employees is a good idea. I'm not certain of how much real estate exists on the corner of McFarland and West Liberty, but Cochran may even look at a much larger garage, say 100 spaces. Revenue could be shared with Dormont, and everybody might just end up happy. Cochran seems to be a good business partner for the Boro. A little creative thinking could save employees of other businesses the trouble of stuffing meters by leasing spaces, and would free up space on the street as well. This isn't rocket science.
Lou Pietosi
3:34 pm on Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Great idea John. Hopefully Cochran and the Borough can come to terms for the benefit of BOTH parties!
Mary Pernatozzi
12:40 pm on Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Cochrans only intrest is to optain the Parking lot at washington and McFarland. for the asthetic look of the new Infinity showroom. who whouldent want a nice cornner lot to showcase their business. I was at that meeting. what I saw were the development plans, for the New infinity showroom. I heard Cochran propose a lot of ideas of how DORMONT can develop around thair new Building. INCLUDING that Dormont could build the garage. once the tax money from the development kicks in. Oh but Cochran did say they would throw in a shiny new sign saying welcome to Dormont?