Churchill residents protest potential Amazon development

A large group of Churchill residents who oppose a potential Amazon distribution center in their community held a protest Tuesday evening.

Hillwood Development — a Texas-based group that has acquired land for Amazon in the region before — is trying to purchase the former site of the George Westinghouse Research Park, a 133-acre parcel located in Churchill Borough. They had identified the end-user of the site as Amazon. Their plan for the site involves demolishing blighted buildings and constructing a 2.6-million-square-foot distribution and logistics facility.

About 100 people here protesting a potential Amazon distribution center at the former George Westinghouse site in Churchill pic.twitter.com/zGzR36RJCD

— Julia Felton (@JuliaFelton16) July 6, 2021

Some Churchill residents have voiced strong opposition to the proposed development, citing concerns ranging from environmental impacts to traffic issues.

Their protest on Tuesday started at 5 p.m. outside the Churchill Borough building. The crowd swelled to about 100 people holding anti-Amazon signs along the side of the road by 6 p.m.

“Amazon is trying to build a mega-distribution center/warehouse in Churchill Borough, a small residential community of 3,000 people just east of Pittsburgh,” the protest organizers wrote in a letter. “The residents are up in arms and fighting back.”

Murray Bilby, a resident who opposes the development, created a website outlining a plethora of concerns he and other residents have about the development. He’s spearheading a group called Churchill Future, which is distributing yard signs that protest the project. The group spearheaded Tuesday’s protest.

Proponents of the development point out that the development would bring jobs and tax revenue to Churchill, and revamp a site that has sat vacant for years. The development could bring more than 1,000 full-time jobs with benefits. Taxes would include between $600,000 and $660,000 annually in property taxes to Churchill and between $2.3 million and $2.5 million in school taxes for Woodland Hills School District.

Residents have debated the potential development at recent borough meetings. Representatives of Hillwood tried to address a plethora of concerns — including pollution, runoff, light and sound impacts and traffic — but many residents remain opposed to the development.

During the protest, the group of concerned residents — and some from neighboring communities who came to show their support — lined the public sidewalk holding signs with messages like “Trees over greed!” and “Noxious fumes are toxic!”

Molly Rush, a Pittsburgh native and activist who was involved in the Plowshares Action in 1980 and co-founded the Thomas Merton Peace and Justice Center, hitched a ride from Dormont to show her support.

“Amazon will hurt this community. It will not help them,” she said. “If they provide jobs, basically that means they work people to death. They make people ill.”

Rush said she was concerned about the environmental impacts, as the developers plan to cut down mature trees and replace them with smaller saplings. She also noted that many claim Amazon mistreats or overworks employees.

“When I heard about the Amazon plans, I thought, ‘No, this is terrible — this is going to ruin this area,” Rush said.

The protest occurred before a borough council meeting, which residents could participate in remotely, though they could not attend in person.

“We want the Churchill Borough council to listen to our concerns,” said Sandy Fox, a resident who listed environmental, traffic and health concerns. “This is not a good idea.”

Fox was one of several residents who said they believe they should be permitted in-person access to meetings.

Sandra Clifford, another resident at the protest, said she, too, was concerned with the fact that residents were barred from in-person participation at the meetings. It’s impossible to know whether local officials are listening to their concerns, she said.

“I think there would be a lot of people attending [meetings],” she said. “I think that’s what they’re afraid of.”

Clifford said estimates provided by Hillwood show that about 185 trucks would pass by her house on Greensburg Pike every day.

“We’re very upset about this,” she said. “It’s going to be around the clock, 365 days per year.”

Steve Frank said he and his wife began making home improvements — including painting, adding a new carpet and installing new shades — to increase their home value in case they decide to sell their home. It’s a possibility they’re seriously considering if the Amazon site were to be developed in their neighborhood, he said.

But, as a real estate appraiser, Frank said he’s also concerned that the Amazon site — and its potential negative impacts on air quality, storm water and traffic — would hurt home values.

“I’m concerned people see the signs about trees, which is true, and noise, which is true,” he said. “But it’s more than that.”

The lack of trees, he said, not only impacts air quality, but can also cause storm water issues that could increase flooding in residential areas near the site. He contends that this type of development would hurt the quality of life in the town. He said he believes there are other residents who would also contemplate moving if the site moves forward.

He said residents like himself do not oppose developing the site, but rather object to a large-scale industrial development that many believe is better suited for an industrial park.

“Bottom line, no one here is not for jobs. No one here is not for development. No one here is not for extra tax revenue,” he said, explaining that other businesses may be better suited for the site.

Churchill resident Steve Frank is considering moving if the proposed Amazon distribution center comes to fruition.

“I’m concerned people see the signs about trees, which is true, and noise, which is true. But it’s more than that.” pic.twitter.com/OMH9omhB9u

— Julia Felton (@JuliaFelton16) July 6, 2021

Steve Landay, donning a shirt that read “Isn’t traffic bad enough?” said he lives on Beulah Road, which would see an increase in traffic from Amazon trucks, vans and employees.

“Our community, we definitely want to see this site become active again — appropriately. But this proposal isn’t for our neighborhood,” he said, holding a sign protesting truck traffic.

Kate Carrigan Hill, who helped organize the event, said she doesn’t like the thought of more traffic — much less trucks — driving through neighborhoods with kids and by nearby schools and daycares.

“I don’t think you put 18-wheelers anywhere near kids, schools,” she said.

She said she feels that it’s “unethical” to put a distribution center that so many residents oppose in their neighborhood.

“These are out lives,” she said. “These are our homes.”

Allegheny County Councilwoman Bethany Hallam, D-Ross, tweeted from the protest.

“Do you like union busting? Corporations that don’t pay taxes? Increased traffic? Contaminated water and soil? Noise and air pollution?” Hallam wrote. “No? Neither do I. That’s why I joined dozens of Churchill residents and community groups today to #SayNoToAmazon”

For Peter Spirtes, the main concern is environmental.

“I think it’s going to be an environmental disaster,” he said. “The idea of putting a facility of this size in a residential neighborhood is going to ruin this neighborhood.”

Residents passed around a bullhorn to lead various chants, like “No trucks, no Amazon” and “Save Churchill, no Amazon.”

Rae Hodge, a member of the Save Churchill group spearheading the event, said she realized fighting Amazon was a major undertaking, but she thought they could do it.

“Amazon’s a train, a big train. To stop Amazon — you have to try,” she said. “I think we can stop it, I think we can.”