Commissioners finalize deal to buy Unity district court property

After a monthslong delay, a $375,000 deal to purchase property in Unity which houses a magisterial district judge office is expected to be completed this week.

Westmoreland County commissioners on Wednesday signed off on the final approvals for the deal and in doing so, continued the county’s takeover of properties that function as district courts.

“We’re taking over ownership of all of these buildings. We’re doing it ever-so-incrementally,” said Commissioner Sean Kertes.

There are 15 district courts that operate throughout the county. With the purchase of the Unity building, the county now owns 11 properties used by the courts. Four others properties that house district judge offices in New Kensington, Ligonier, North Huntingdon and Penn Township remain privately owned, according county Public Works Director Greg McCloskey.

Commissioners initially approved the terms of the Unity purchase in March but the deal was put on hold pending the completion of an environmental study.

“There were no issues found. We needed to inspect for hazardous materials. We just wanted to make sure the ground under the building was clear and there was nothing on it from neighboring properties,” McCloskey said.

Officials determined the building where District Judge Tamara Mahady presides does not need to be replaced.

The county in recent years replaced older district judge buildings with new construction. The county paid more than $2 million to construct district court buildings in Hempfield and Washington townships that opened in 2019.