Former Philipsburg Area Hospital site acquired

After closing in 2006, the Philipsburg Area Hospital was left vacant for about a decade. In December 2014, demolition began on the red brick building as part of a $2.5 million project to clean up the Rush Township site and make it attractive for development.

That project is beginning to yield the fruits envisioned by former Gov. Tom Corbett’s office, which announced the deal in August 2014.

On March 27, the Moshannon Valley Economic Development Partnership closed on a deal to acquire the 14.79-acre property, the organization recently announced. Rusty Christoff, the Partnership’s president, said the property was purchased for $150,000.

With the sale, the property’s name has been changed to Philipsburg Area Commerce Park.

“Ever since we first learned three years ago that there might be an opportunity to buy the property, the Partnership wanted to add the site to our inventory of ready-to-go sites,” said Stan LaFuria, the partnership’s executive director, in a statement.

LaFuria credited Sen. Jake Corman, R-Benner Township, Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Rush Townhip, and Alan Walker, former secretary of the state Department of Community and Economic Development, for making the deal possible.

He added the Partnership purchased the property through a 15-year loan through the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority, totaling $117,395.

“This program gives the local economic development organization some time to find a buyer for the land in the commerce park,” LaFuria said in a statement.

According to a MVEDP release, a buyer has the option of purchasing a 1-acre lot or the entire site. It is zoned for commercial or office use.

LaFuria added the partnership has four lots for sale in its 14-lot Moshannon Valley Regional Business Park, located one mile east of Philipsburg on U.S. Route 322.

This story was originally published April 6, 2017 at 5:44 PM with the headline "Former Philipsburg Area Hospital site acquired."