Although students will not be returning to the Butler Middle School next month, officials are moving ahead with new plans for the facility on East North Street.
Representatives from Pittsburgh Gateways Corporation spoke to the Butler School Board earlier this week about turning the school into a “multi-use training and business facility”. It will ideally include dedicated spaces for workforce training, small business support, manufacturing prototyping, and lease space for business.
The 501c3 non-profit organization, also known as PGC, has 24 years experience using loans, grants, and tax credits to realize this kind of project as a driver for economic growth.
“It’s important for PGC to understand that when they’re going out and speaking to potentially interested parties, this is going to happen if they meet their requirements,” District Solicitor Tom Breth said. “If they put the business model together, they get the commitments from outside organizations to partner with them in this facility, the board is going to transfer the building over to them.”
“Uncertainty is the enemy of these types of projects,” Breth said.
Administrators plan to open the facility to the public before any renovations take place. Butler School Board President Al Vavro would like to see the facility utilized as part of Butler’s new Cultural District.
“I think at some point it would be a excellent marriage of the PGC and the cultural committee to try and use that facility in some way, shape, or form,” Vavro said.
The board will vote next month about entering into a Commitment to Transfer Agreement with the PGC that will start a nine month period of due diligence. If PGC fulfills all stated obligations, the district will transfer ownership of the property to the PGC for one dollar.
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