A Pittsburgh-based firm specializing in renewing historic buildings and a Shaler neighborhood group have reached an agreement on the firm’s plans for the potential $100 million redevelopment of the Mt. Alvernia property.
Attorneys representing Q Development and the Hawthorne Neighborhood Association announced the agreement at the Shaler commissioners meeting April 8.
“We’ve reached an understanding that we think is for the benefit of all,” said Kevin McKeegan, representing Q Development.
The commissioners are considering an ordinance to create an overlay zoning district for Mt. Alvernia and the redevelopment.
The property, which straddles Shaler and Millvale, was once the campus of the Sisters of St. Francis, a Catholic women’s religious order. The property’s large main building, the Motherhouse, served as a convent and Catholic high school for girls until 2011.
In 2019, the sisters sold the property, which also includes a chapel and residence halls. Aside from the currently operating Mt. Alvernia Day Care and Learning Center, the campus has remained vacant for more than five years.
The nearby cemetery remains the property of the sisters.
According to McKeegan, Q Development has agreed to cap the number of dwelling units on the Shaler side of the property at 200, down from 250.
Except for possibly replacing St. Clare Hall, no new apartment buildings would be permitted. However, if the hall is demolished, it could be replaced by a new apartment building no more than four stories tall and 50 feet high with a floor area of no more than 50,000 square feet, which is consistent with St. Clare Hall as it sits today, he said.
Following action by Millvale Council in November, the borough’s side does not have a cap on the number of units, but a Q Development representative said he expects it to be around 125.
The neighborhood association’s attorney, Charles Perego, said they are behind the agreement and encouraged commissioners to approve the ordinance as changed.
Neighbors have had concerns about traffic and parking congestion and the character of their neighborhood, consisting mainly of single-family homes.
“This is the be all and end all of negotiation in life. You don’t win everything that you wanted,” Perego said. “Q didn’t get everything it wanted, we didn’t get everything we wanted, but we’ve got something that we think we can represent to Shaler Township (that) will protect the community as best we can and still allow the development of the Mt. Alvernia site.
“As we’ve said all along, we are in favor of some development of Mt. Alvernia,” he said. “We don’t want it to stay vacant, and we are in favor of keeping the day care center there.”
Shaler officials commended the sides for working together toward a compromise.
Commissioners scheduled another hearing on the ordinance for their May 13 meeting, where they could vote to approve it.
After an ordinance is passed, Q Development would create a preliminary land development plan, which will include a traffic study and more concrete details about unit numbers and other goals for the site for discussion by residents and the township.