On Wednesday morning, Vice President of the Schuylkill County Economic Development, Brian Hansbury, presented a plan to the county commissioners on behalf of the owners of the Schuylkill Mall property, Northpoint Development.
The plan given by Hansbury was to enact LERTA, Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance. LERTA allows taxing authorities to exempt new construction in deteriorated areas of economically depressed communities and improvements to certain deteriorated industrial, commercial and other business property.
The plan would give the owners a tax break of 50 percent over 10 years to increase the value of the property.
Part of the plan given by Hansbury would have the mall demolished by the end of 2017. Demolition would begin on the Sears/Bon Ton end of the mall, leaving the movie theater time to operate through the busy holiday season.
McDonalds and Big Lots are on the same parcel property but will stay and not be demolished. Cracker Barrel and Holiday are reported to be on their own parcels and will remain open.
The mall would be completely demolition by the end of the winter and new construction of two new warehouses on the property that would be completed by the end of the summer of 2018.
The new buildings will be 890,000 square feet and 360,000 square feet, and are said to be capable of creating a minimum of 830 jobs.
The meeting with Commissioners on Wednesday was a work session and an official vote by the commissioners is planned for next Wednesday. St. Clair School District and New Castle Township have already voted and approved the project.
More details in a full story later Wednesday.