Centre City plans advance
"We got Rite Aid," Butler Mayor Maggie Stock announced Tuesday at the city council's agenda-setting meeting.
After almost three years of discussions, planning and maneuvering, Butler's Centre City project has taken its first step toward reality.
Perry O'Malley, executive director of the city's Redevelopment Authority, discussed Rite Aid's plans to build a store at the corner of East Jefferson and South Main streets, as part of the first phase of the $5 million to $7 million downtown development project.
"That investment will result in a $25 million to $30 million return," O'Malley said.
He also explained and asked for approval by council of a tax incremental financing district that would encompass the property bordered by South Main, East Cunningham, South McKean and East Jefferson streets, plus the Wishing Well property and the Cycle Warehouse, formerly the Troutman Department Store, both at West Cunningham and South Main streets.
A TIF district provides for tax revenue from a designated area to be reinvested for the development of that area. The former Trinity Property and Pullman Park in the city's West End Revitalization Project area are a TIF district.
While each taxing body will continue to receive the current rate of taxes on a property, the tax increase that would result as the property is improved is invested back into the property in a TIF district.
The city, Butler County and Butler School District all must approve the downtown TIF, and the city will vote on it Thursday.
O'Malley said Butler Dental Associates, 121 S. Main St., has bought the former Wishing Well lot at the corner of South Main and West Cunningham streets where they will build a two-story, 10,000-square-foot office building including space for a practice and laboratory.The Rite Aid pharmacy-drug store will take up the entire half block made up of the former Eckerd, Robert's Bakery, the Douthett Building, Butler Dental Associates and the Antique Warehouse building on East Birch Street back to Cedar Street. The former Butler Hot Dog Shoppe is also part of the project property, and all six buildings will be demolished to make way for the Rite Aid.Ron Tarquinio, a developer for Rite Aid with JJJ Properties of Pittsburgh, said Tuesday that his company has an agreement to buy all six buildings, but that demolition and construction won't begin until after Jan. 1."So, the bakery and the antiques stores will be there through Christmas," Tarquinio said.O'Malley explained that the 14,400-square-foot building will sit on the 38,000-square-foot lot.This Rite Aid building is to be a prototype for the company with more glass and natural light, meant to appeal to women, Tarquinio said."There will be a drive-thru pharmacy plus a room that you can meet privately with the pharmacist if you want," he said. The store will also feature an expanded grocery section, generic section and seasonal items."The plan is to serve the Butler customer better," Tarquinio said, adding that Rite Aid is interested in improving its Butler store because of the Centre City plans.Centre City, according to plans drawn by the Redevelopment Authority, will include: a new building on the former Wishing Well lot; a hotel with retail shopping on the former Woolworth lot at the corner of South Main and East Cunningham streets; a mini convention center with tier parking garage at the corner of East Cunningham and South McKean streets; and apartments or condominiums at the corner of South McKean and East Jefferson streets."Butler has some really nice things going for its downtown like a really nice coffee shop and some unique stores, and our store will be just about at the center of all of that, so we are really looking forward to being in Butler," Tarquinio said, adding that the current Rite Aid store at 118 S. Main St. will close once the new store is open."The city's redevelopment authority has been really great to work with," he said. "They have made this so much easier to come about."
Even with the agreements to buy the buildings on the Rite Aid site, some owners are happy and others are more reserved.Bob Barkus, owner of Robert's Bakery at 109 S. Main St., said Rite Aid's buyout offer was a surprise that came at the right time. After 29 years of baking, Barkus will hang up his apron when the developer takes control of his building."I'm going to take some cool-my-heels time," he said.Bill Smith, owner of several downtown businesses including the Antique Warehouse at 123 S. Main St., said he is skeptical because "in the past nine years I have heard a lot of these ideas, but I'll believe it when I see the cash."Bill Douthett, who owns 115 S. Main St. with other family members, said he's not so sure of the project either, and his tenant, Debbi Ruth, owner of Ruffles & Truffles children's clothing store, is not happy.About six years ago, Ruth moved her store to its current location when the Butler Mall closed to make way for the Butler Commons Shopping Center on New Castle Road."I just can't even think about moving again and fixing up wherever we might end up," Ruth said. "Honestly, I'm torn between moving and closing."As for the Centre City project, Douthett, whose grandfather, W.G. Douthett built the building in 1916 and opened the Douthett & Graham men's clothing store there, said, "I'll believe it when I see it. Too many of these ideas have come and gone to get too excited about it."But Stock said that she is "very excited about Rite Aid," and the development in general.Councilman Joe Bratkovich said this is what can happen when people set their egos aside."You can get great things like this done," he said.
