Sep. 20, 2017
HARRISBURG – At the request of the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA), Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint) has introduced legislation to authorize the sale of the Kane Armory property.
Under the bill, the sale price of the armory and the adjacent “weekend training” site property would be determined by a competitive bid process.
“The armory has been sitting vacant for a few years and is now costing the Commonwealth nearly $10,000 annually to maintain,” Causer said. “It would be helpful to taxpayers to have the property put to productive use and placed on the tax rolls.”
House Bill 1787 authorizes 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.
The bill is awaiting consideration in the House State Government Committee.
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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