Although many details have yet to be released, Butler’s mayor sees the benefits of a medical facility planned for the Pullman Square area.
“Right now, we have a vacant piece of property. If you look at other places where hospitals or treatment centers are, there are tons of other services that need to pop up around them in order to help service the individuals who go there, who work there, etc.,” Butler Mayor Ben Smith said in an interview with Butler Radio on Friday.
Smith and the rest of Butler City Council waived a parking requirement last week for the Allegheny Health Network Butler County Cancer Center. This occurred after network representatives provided studies and proof of their needs to the City Zoning Commission, who recommended approval of the request.
Although this non-profit center will not provide tax revenue directly to the city, Smith is confident that the facility will provide a needed service that will bring people into the city.
“People who work there are going to be paying their employment tax but then they’re also going to need somewhere to go to lunch. Maybe they need a doctor nearby where they work because that’s when doctors are open. So, there are going to be opportunities for growth because of that center to bring people into that area that wouldn’t otherwise have a reason to come to Butler,” Smith said.
A statement from Allegheny Health Network to Butler Radio explains that the center “will be a one stop-shop for patients needing cancer treatment.” Once the center is completed, AHN officials says patients will not “have to travel long distances to get the best cancer treatment available.”
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