The Allegheny Valley Volunteer Fire Department is considering selling a former substation along Freeport Road to Harmar.

Harmar officials made an offer to buy the building in late January because they want to use it as headquarters for the township’s public works department.

Chuck Miller, president of the fire department, said department officials plans to discuss the offer at its July 3 meeting.

Allegheny County Real Estate records show the 41,000-square-foot building is valued at $536,700, including $190,900 for the land and $345,800 for the building.

Harmar Supervisors Chairman Bob Seibert did not disclose the township’s offer, noting the proposal was still being negotiated. Real estate negotiations are one of the exceptions allowed for closed meetings under the state’s Sunshine Law.

Officials have previously said they want to move the public works garage to that location to have everything in one place. Equipment is currently housed at several different locations.

“We were hopeful we’d actually own it by now,” Seibert said. “It would be a home run for us.”

The vacant property is home to the township’s coal miner monument near the corner of Herron Avenue and Freeport Road. It was installed in 2009 to pay homage to the township’s coal mining history. One of the bronze monument’s key features is a miner in overalls swinging a pick while standing in the middle of a mine shaft. Surrounding the miner are smaller community scenes carved into chunks of coal.

The monument was previously maintained by volunteer Paul Messich, 87, until about two years ago. Since then the fire department has maintained it, Miller said.

Seibert said the township would take care of maintenance of it if they acquire the property.

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