Developers seeking to set roots in Trafford will receive a tax break following approval by the county last week.
Trafford Borough Council approved in June an ordinance establishing a Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance — or LERTA — zone that will give a real estate tax break to developers who revitalize dilapidated structures.
The tax break will apply to the borough’s new downtown business zoning district, said borough Manager Jaime Peticca. This includes Cavitt and Brinton avenues from Sixth to Second streets, plus a portion of Brinton Avenue from Sixth to First streets.
Addressing a blighted property in the 400 block of Cavitt Avenue is a priority for the borough, Peticca said.
“That’s probably the biggest, most eyesore right now,” she said.
The Penn-Trafford School Board approved the borough’s tax break in August, and the Westmoreland County commissioners granted final approval Thursday.
It will give developers complete exemption from real estate taxes in the first year, Peticca said. The tax exemption rate will decrease 10% each year after that. Exemption will not terminate upon the sale or exchange of the property.
Peticca has advocated for establishing the tax break in the borough since she was hired in 2022.
“We’re excited to be moving forward here in Trafford,” she said, “and hopefully this will help incentivize investors and businesses to want to come in and fix up some of these more — some dilapidated but also older or aging — buildings.”
Jeannette officials are considering a similar tax break to spur redevelopment in the city — possibly the old Fort Pitt Brewery off Penn Avenue, the industrial park, the former Monsour and Jeannette District Memorial hospital sites and properties along Clay and Chambers avenues.
It could take about four months to finalize the tax break, according to Jeannette Solicitor Tim Witt.
Other municipalities across the county have LERTA zones, including Derry Township, Greensburg, New Stanton, North Huntingdon, Scottdale and Unity.
Neighboring Penn Township established a LERTA zone in 2014 for a lot near the intersection of Route 130 and Pleasant Valley Road and properties in the Bushy Run Corporate and Westmoreland Industrial parks located off Mellon Road.
Peticca is hopeful the tax break will draw developers to Trafford’s assets.
“We’re situated in a great area. We’re just over the border — some of our properties are in Allegheny County,” she said. “We’ve got a great school district. We’ve got some really great parks. We’ve got great things going on for us.
“We just need now for others — business owners … investors — to see that as well and to say ‘Hey, you know what, there’s a lot of potential here.’”
Quincey Reese is a TribLive reporter covering the Greensburg and Hempfield areas. She also does reporting for the Penn-Trafford Star. A Penn Township native, she joined the Trib in 2023 after working as a Jim Borden Scholarship intern at the company for two summers. She can be reached at qreese@triblive.com.