The old Stewart Elementary School property in Lower Burrell will be developed into 46 units of single-family, duplex-style condos.
The Burrell School Board on Tuesday approved selling the Stewart Elementary property at 2800 Leechburg Road to developer David Ziccarelli. The property totals about 8.44 acres.
“It’s been a great collaboration between not only the school district and the city, but the developer as well,” said Ziccarelli, a Lower Burrell resident. “Very rarely do you see all three come together in this fashion to really benefit the community.
“With all of that said, we, being a local developer, as you see the development we’ve done here, our efforts are to continue to grow the city and do the best by it.”
School officials in October 2024 voted to close Stewart at the end of that school year, citing declining enrollment, costly infrastructure upgrades and the opportunity to consolidate to better meet students’ needs.
The nearly century old Stewart building had its last day of school June 4. It has sat vacant since.
District Solicitor Lee Price said the agreement has a $1 sale price but that it also calls for requirements for Ziccarelli to follow that greatly reduce the district’s cost of demolition and, when complete, generate at least a mill of real estate taxes annually to the district.
If the property is not developed with at least 40 units with a fair market value of $275,000, the district can take back the property, Business Manager Jennifer Callahan said. She believes, based on the current market, $275,000 would be the minimum the houses would be sold for.
At 46 units, Callahan estimated annual total revenue for the school district would be just over $155,000; which is worth about one mill of taxes in Burrell. She estimated real estate tax revenue to be about $137,000; earned income tax revenue of just under $17,800 and $63,250 of transfer tax revenue, which is collected when units sell or transfer to another owner.
Callahan said she researched potential uses of the property, from nonprofits to commercial to residential properties. Residential properties were the most beneficial, she said, because they bring in those real estate, earned income and transfer taxes; and they can increase residents and student enrollment.
Ziccarelli developments “have a proven track record in our school district,” Callahan said and are a popular market choice.
Four condo developments in the city — Gladeview, Puckety Church, Rabbits Foot and Edgecliff — are Ziccarelli developments.
Gladeview, a former Burrell school, has 28 units and brings in a total real estate tax of just over $77,000 annually to the school district, Callahan said. Puckety Church has 73 units and has a total real estate tax of just under $190,000; Rabbits Foot has 66 units and total real estate taxes of about $184,000; and Edgecliff has 38 units and a total real estate taxes of about $118,000.
Stewart’s homes will be to own, not rented, Ziccarelli said.
Burrell will also save money on Stewart’s demolition under the plan.
The district was responsible for maintaining the building, which is about $200,000 a year, said Superintendent Shannon Wagner. An estimated cost of asbestos abatement was about $370,000; and demolishing the building would have cost the district $900,000, Wagner said.
With the agreement, the district would split asbestos abatement costs with Ziccarelli and pay $185,000, Wagner said. Stewart’s demolition must occur within a year of closing on the property.
Price said the property transfer would have to be approved by a court. He did not have an estimate of how long that would take before a hearing would be scheduled.
“This is the kind of thing, I think, will be fairly prompt,” he said.
Ziccarelli said construction would start “as soon as possible” following court approval.
Wagner said, from the beginning of the Stewart closure process, it was important for the district to make sure the property would be reused in a way that benefits the community.
“The last thing I want to do is be in a situation where we leave an empty shell to continue to fall apart in front of our community,” she said. “I would rather be proactive and make sure that we take steps to ensure that the property becomes something worthwhile to the district.”
The school board approved the plan in a 7-0 vote; Rick Kaczor and Tricia Shank were absent.
“The fact that it has been such a collaboration really sends a strong message that it is community driven, community focused, community beneficial,” said Board President LeeAnn Guido.
Mayor Chris Fabry and Councilmen David Stoltz and Ron Welker attended the school board meeting. All expressed excitement for the development.
“I was very concerned when Stewart closed … that the building was just going to sit there,” Fabry said. “The fact that you’re doing something that’s going to benefit the community is huge.”
The Stewart property includes a veterans memorial. Wagner said that will be relocated, with the help of students, city officials and vendors, to Bon Air Elementary.
“It will continue, but be reimagined by students in our district,” she said.
The property also included pickleball courts near the Lower Burrell City Hall, which will be demolished. Ziccarelli said the courts will be relocated.
