Dec. 13, 2017
HARRISBURG – Legislation authorizing the sale of the Kane Armory building and property is now on its way to the governor’s desk, according to Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint).
The measure was approved as an amendment to
Senate Bill 921, which earned unanimous approval of both the House and Senate on Wednesday. It now awaits the governor’s signature to become law.
“By amending the language of my
House Bill 1787 into the Senate bill, I was able to get the measure to the governor’s desk more quickly, which will allow the Commonwealth to move forward with the sale of the property,” Causer said. “It costs nearly $10,000 annually to maintain the armory building, which has been vacant now for a few years, and I believe it is in the best interest of taxpayers to have the property put to productive use and placed on the tax rolls as soon as possible.”
Causer introduced the legislation to authorize the sale at the request of the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA). It allows for the conveyance (sale) of two separate properties. The first includes the armory building, which is just under 16,000 square feet in size, and a detached three-bay concrete block garage sitting on approximately 0.34 acres. The second property is known as the weekend training site and consists of a fenced compound, large metal storage building and small storage sheds on approximately 1.46 acres.
Causer noted the armory was built in 1922 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. When the property is advertised for bid, it will include an historic preservation covenant approved by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. The person or entity that purchases the building with the covenant would receive a discount on the property in exchange for the preservation of the building. If the property is not sold in the first round of bidding, the covenant would be removed for the second bid request.
Representative Martin T. Causer
67th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Patricia A. Hippler
717.772.9846
phippler@pahousegop.com
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