Dormont Council Discusses #1 Cochran Development Plan

on Monday outlined the procedure they are following for working with #1 Cochran in regard to the automotive dealer’s proposed building plans in the borough.

The borough has not entered into an agreement with #1 Cochran regarding the dealership’s proposal, and council members said they plan to look at the proposal carefully before approving anything.

“We have not—and I want to make this very clear—we have not committed to anything,” said Councilwoman Onnie Costanzo. “We’re just looking at everything right now. That’s all we’re doing.”

at the borough recreation center in February to discuss their proposal for expansion along West Liberty Avenue. A PDF of their proposal is attached to this article, as well as to the Feb. 14 article.

Council members said that at this point, the proposal is only a proposal, and that nothing has been finalized or agreed upon, particularly in regard to land exchanges between the borough and #1 Cochran.

Costanzo and Councilwoman Valerie Martino are coordinating discussions of the Cochran proposal. Costanzo said she and Martino met with Bill Krahe, president of Grand View Development Company, on March 21 to discuss #1 Cochran’s proposed timeline for the project, should the project be approved. Grand View is #1 Cochran's developer for the proposed project.

Costanzo said they discussed parking and the concerns of local businesses. The meter personnel in the borough have been asked to look at borough parking lots to help determine how full the lots are at different times of the day, she said.

New development by #1 Cochran would include customer parking and a smooth traffic flow in and out of the lots, which could improve the traffic pattern in the area, Costanzo said.

She and Martino said the tax burden on #1 Cochran, if all proposed development were completed, would be $100,000 per year, each year, for 20 years.

Again, Costanzo said, nothing has been decided or finalized in regard to the proposal. She said she and Martino planned to meet with Delta Development on Tuesday. Delta Development then planned to meet with the borough’s real estate attorney, Jack Cambest, who is part of the firm .

A meeting between Delta, Cambest and Krahe would then be held, and reports would be made to Costanzo and Martino. In the meantime, Costanzo said, she and Martino would build .

Five businesses located in the vicinity around the dealership on West Liberty and five residents will make up the committee. Costanzo said calls to those individuals and businesses would be made in the week after Easter.

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