Residents voice concern as developer aims to transform Shaler Township's Mt. Alvernia property
The old convent and schools on the Mt. Alvernia campus that borders Shaler and Millvale have remained vacant since 2019. Now, the potential development of the property has some residents concerned.
After Hurricane Ivan in 2004, Sandra Chatellier fears what would happen if an influx of people moved in on the Mt. Alvernia campus off Hawthorne.
"My primary concern is for the potential flooding in Millvale," Chatellier said.
The community bordering Millvale and Shaler has always been flood prone, and despite some remedies like a bioswale to collect runoff, she said more studies are needed.
"I can just see in the future all of that water coming down to Millvale in a flood event ruining everything Millvale has tried to do to establish a wonderful community," Chatellier said.
She's one of several who are distressed by the proposal from Rick Belloli and Q Development to transform the decades-old property into a mix of apartments and townhomes, not just for environmental reasons, but also traffic, which is already a problem.
"Their only way out of here is Hawthorne or Westwood," Chatellier said.
They shared their thoughts at a Shaler Township meeting Tuesday night. The board of commissioners decided to table a vote on rezoning so Q Development could take the community's concerns into greater consideration.
Chris Lovato is the township manager.
"It was decided that the appropriate course of action was to table to consider the comments and to see whether a revised draft can incorporate some of the concerns and address some of the concerns," Lovato said.
Millvale approved rezoning a few months ago, and Belloli told KDKA-TV that their design has always been "to accommodate 280 to 300 apartments and townhouses in the existing historic buildings and new townhouses," but with zoning "there needs to be some 'flexibility.'"
As far as traffic, Belloli said they are happy to conduct a "full traffic assessment" once they have the approvals to move forward.
Chatellier wants the traffic and environmental studies done sooner than later.
"It needs to be done now before the approval process, because once it's approved, we have no leverage to go back and change anything," Chatellier said.
It's unclear when Shaler will take the rezoning up for a vote, but the township and Millvale will still need to approve the development before construction can start.
