West Deer breaks ground on new municipal building

State Sen. Lindsey Williams recalled that, when she took office four years ago, she toured the municipalities and school districts of the state’s 38th District to get to know them better.

When it was time to go meet West Deer officials, she remembered the discussion of a need for a new municipal building.

“We discussed how their staff had outgrown the space and that they weren’t able to provide the services to residents that they were looking to do,” she said. “We discussed their importance to getting dollars to make this project possible so that they didn’t have to raise local taxes.”

Since that time, Williams and her staff have seen how engaged a community West Deer is and the growth in the township and worked to secure state grants to put toward a new municipal center.

Thursday afternoon, Williams joined local, county and other state officials for a groundbreaking ceremony.

“Groundbreakings are always such a big day because they’re a visual representation of the progress that has been made,” she said. “And this municipal building upgrade has been a labor of love and a priority of a township leader for a long time.”

The new complex will be next to the existing municipal building, which was built 71 years ago as a township garage.

“This project is so important to us. We’ve grown out of our space. We’ve worked out of this building since 1952,” West Deer Supervisors Chairwoman Beverly Jordan said. “This new building is necessary to accommodate the needs of the township so that we can grow and provide the needs necessary to our citizens.”

A project design displayed at the ceremony showed the new building will have about 8,530 square feet for the police department, 4,070 square feet for administration and 4,250 square feet for the board of supervisors and a community area.

Officials have said the project will cost just less than $10 million.

Jordan said the project did not result in a tax increase.

Williams said the facility’s construction is supported by a $1.5 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant that was awarded in 2021 and a $1 million Local Share Account grant that was given this year.

The building is expected to be finished in fall 2024.

State Rep. Rob Mercuri, R-Pine, said he grew up in West Deer’s Magill Heights neighborhood. He said he is proud of the township’s growth and its efforts to best serve the community, and that he is happy to support the project.

“I’m here today as a West Deer kid really proud of my community and what we have accomplished to get to this point,” Mercuri said.

Mercuri said, while there’s still a way to go before the project is completed, he, and other elected officials, are available to support West Deer.

“What’s exciting is about the progress that this demonstrates, and this is really a project about the future of West Deer and about our kids and grandkids that are in the district today that will benefit from this new facility. And the future police officers and representatives of the township that will certainly benefit from it,” he said.

Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said there’s nothing more exciting than when communities invest in themselves. Along with the other officials, he commended township supervisors and Township Manager Daniel Mator for their work on the project.

“I get excited in the last few months of my tenure as county executive when I see things that are going to continue to happen and continue to grow,” Fitzgerald said.

County Councilwoman Anita Prizio, whose district includes West Deer, said she has looked forward to working with the constituents and township officials.