During a work meeting with the Schuylkill County Commissioners, Brian Hansbury, the Vice President of Schuylkill Economic Development, proposed a plan on behalf of Northpoint Development.
The plan was part of a presentation that Hansbury presented to commissioners to enact LERTA on three mall property parcels.
LERTA, Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance, 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 property owners a tax break of 50 percent over 10 years to increase the value of the property.
The estimated current value of the mall property is roughly over $2,000,000 but after 10 years of development, the estimated property value will be over $20,000,000.
Schuylkill County, New Castle Township, and the St. Clair School District all receive tax revenue from the mall property. According to the plan proposed, each would see an increase of the follow compared to it's current revenue.
- New Castle Township
- Current: $47,096.53
- After 10 years with LERTA: $217,941
- St. Clair School District
- Current: $146,081.13
- After 10 years with LERTA: $675,995
- Schuylkill County
- Current: $61,348.34
- After 10 year with LERTA: $1,177,826.40
The official vote by the Schuylkill County Commissioners is expected next Wednesday, August 23rd, during their regular meeting.
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.
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 warehouses will be 890,000 square feet and 360,000 square feet, and are said to be capable of creating a minimum of 830 jobs.
Occupants of the leases have not been determined.