McCandless says no applications for development along North Park gateway on Ingomar Road

The Town of McCandless has “received no applications” as of Oct. 3 for development of a prime piece of land along Ingomar Road that serves as a gateway to North Park, McCandless Town Manger Brian O’Malley said.

The area is home to an assortment of small businesses: North Park Par 3, which offers par 3 golf, a miniature golf course, a driving range and batting cages; as well as two restaurants, Chubs Place and Tomato Pie Cafe; plus North Park Bait and Tackle; a bike rental and a chiropractic practice.

A notice posted on the McCandless website also states that the township has had no serious inquiries about developing the parcel.

Speculation about the fate of the property increased after the owner, Joan Ammer of Fox Chapel, passed away in May and the township updated its zoning ordinance earlier this year.

O’Malley said the zoning update actually protects the property from large-scale development.

Prior to the township’s zoning update, the property was split-zoned as large-scale commercial recreation and standard single-family home development.

The update put the property in a Neighborhood Center zoning district — called a M-N district — which restricts development in the corridor to what is “neighborhood-appropriate” allowing for a “gateway” of sorts to North Park rather than allow development large retail options of more than 3,000-square-feet.

The M-N district was chosen because it allows a mix of residential and smaller, neighborhood-scale commercial development that would support a regional asset rather than overwhelm it, according to a statement from the township.

“Before the town went through the process of modernization the zoning ordinance the properties near Kummer Road/Ingomar Road intersection could have been used for a bank, car wash, gas station, heavy equipment storage, a hotel, vehicle sales, theater, and more uses,” said O’Malley.

“Our zoning modernization process additionally updated our traffic study requirements to better protect the town and the residents,” he said.

The new zoning ordinance added environmental/greenspace protections that will have a long-term, positive impact for the township and its residents, he said.

In updating the town’s zoning ordinance, the township decided it would want a mix of uses in M-N districts to benefit the public at large, rather than have a housing development or a standalone business that does not encourage spending meaningful time in the area. The idea would be to enhance the regional assets and create a sense of community, he said.

Allegheny County’s real estate website still lists Ammer as the owner of the property.

Reached by telephone Oct. 4 to discuss the fate of the property, Ammer’s son-in-law, Michael Irwin, who is married to Ammer’s daughter, Joy, said, “There’s no story.”

Residents providing feedback during formation of the town’s comprehensive plan, which was approved in 2019, and during the recent zoning update indicated they preferred more dynamic development complementary to nearby North Park if unused land was going to be developed.

Jon Williams co-owns Par3Golf, which offers par 3 golf, batting cages, miniature golf and a driving range, with his sister and father. Williams said their business has been at the Ingomar Road location for almost 70 years. They and the other establishments located there rent the land but own the buildings.

“This is how we make a living; can’t pick it up and go somewhere else,” said Williams.