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County sees positive economic signs

By Michael Bradwell, Business editor, mbradwell@observer-reporter.com

The Washington County Authority is seeing signs that the recession's chill is thawing, based on growing inquiries about office space at Southpointe II, its director of operations said Tuesday.

William Sember told the authority board, which oversees activity in the mixed-use business and residential park in Cecil Township, that he has recently received requests for information about office properties.

"We've heard from three different groups in the past month," Sember said, adding that there is no leaseable space remaining in the original Southpointe properties. He said the inquiries could potentially lead to the construction of new office buildings in Southpointe II.

The board went into executive session at the end of Tuesday's regular meeting to discuss real estate matters related to the park, but took no action.

So far, Southpointe II is home to Consol Energy Inc. and a separate building for its Fairmont Supply subsidiary, both of which opened in the fall of 2008. Other office buildings there house USG Insurance and Metso Minerals. In September, a 113-room Homewood Suites hotel opened on Horizon Vue Drive in the development.

In other business Tuesday, Wayne Fleming of the authority staff reported that new traffic signals installed at both entrances to Southpointe will become fully functional later this month.

In late July, the authority began construction for turning lanes and signals at the entrances, a $2 million project to improve traffic flow to the park, which now has more than 5,000 workers.

Southbound Morganza Road was widened to include a through lane and a right-turn lane onto the Southpointe Boulevard bridge. Northbound Morganza Road received a through lane and two left turn lanes on the Southpointe Boulevard bridge.

Southpointe Boulevard was given four lanes, with a dedicated left-turn lane northbound and a right-turn lane for traffic traveling south toward Canonsburg. Traffic signals were installed at the intersection. The bridge at the south entrance was widened to four lanes from its present two lanes.

Signals were also installed at the intersection at the park-and-ride lot at Morganza Road and Southpointe Boulevard, which previously had stop signs.

According to Flemming, the signals will be set on flashing red beginning next week, then become fully operational on Jan. 26 for a 30-day test period required by the state Department of Transportation. The test period will end Feb. 26.

He said the project, being performed by Michael Facchiano Contracting of Mt. Lebanon, is 90 percent complete.

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