Commission Corrects Error, Moves Fitness Center Forward

Mt. Lebanon commissioners had a "do over" of sorts this week when they voted to amend an ordinance to allow Kossman Development Co. to build a 46,000-square-foot L.A. Fitness Center along Castle Shannon Boulevard.

The vote was a late addition to the Monday meeting agenda. It became necessary after the discovery that, in originally voting to approve the amendment June 8, the municipality had not publicly advertised beforehand.

"It's required that a notice of intent to enact legislation be published, and this was not done beforehand," said Stephen Feller, Mt. Lebanon municipal manager.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/09197/984156-55.stm

Health Club Plan Clears Hurdle

Kossman Development Co. cleared the first of several hurdles in its intent to build an LA Fitness center at Castle Shannon and Mt. Lebanon boulevards.

Developers hoping to construct the 46,000-square-foot health club in a site zoned R-2 residential in Mt. Lebanon have secured a text amendment to the municipal ordinance. A 3-2 vote at a commissioners meeting Monday added a new "Section 406.4.2 - Health Club" to Section 1402 Definitions.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/09162/976516-55.stm

Hearing On Club Gets Testy In Mt. Lebanon

A marathon hearing on whether Mt. Lebanon should approve construction of a health club turned into an exercise in stamina Tuesday night. A team of representatives from Kossman Development and LA Fitness, a California-based chain of workout facilities, spoke for almost 90 minutes in a public hearing before commissioners.

Coupled with comments from residents, the hearing went well into the night, clocking in at just a bit over three hours. There was other commission business to attend as well, so the meetings adjourned, after more than 51/2 hours.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/09148/973221-55.stm

Residents Debate Mt. Lebanon Fitness Center Plans

An overflow crowd of more than 80 residents attended a hearing last night in Mt. Lebanon where commissioners were presented with the pros and cons of building a fitness center in a residential neighborhood. The hotly debated topic centered around a parcel of land at the intersection of Mt. Lebanon and Castle Shannon boulevards.

The hearing lasted three hours, sandwiched between other commission business. The whole affair went almost 5 1/2 hours and ended just after midnight.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/09147/972988-100.stm

LA Fitness Club Plan Comes Before Board

Mt. Lebanon residents who live in Sunset Hills may think work on an LA Fitness health club is stalled because the planning board rejected an amendment to the zoning code allowing the club. Not so, say municipal commissioners.

Commissioners have the final say over whether zoning amendments will be made in order to permit the construction of a fitness club on the so-called "Kossman property," near the intersection with Castle Shannon and Mt. Lebanon boulevards. In order to construct the 47,000 square-foot club, the zoning of the property must be amended to permit "health club" in the mixed-use (MX) overlay district.

Link: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/05-06-ML-LA-Fitness-B

Public Hearing To Discuss Zoning Ordinance Change

The commission will have a public hearing at 8 p.m. May 26, in commission chambers, 710 Washington Road, to hear residents' comments about a proposed zoning ordinance change that would allow health clubs as a conditional use in certain areas of the municipality.

Kossman Development Co. would like to build a health club on property it owns at Castle Shannon and Mt. Lebanon boulevards and lease the space to LA Fitness. Kossman previously had plans that received final approval for two office buildings on the site. The land currently is cleared and vacant.

While Kossman has not submitted a formal development plan, the club could be 46,864 square feet with 286 parking spaces, 129 of which would be covered. The fitness center would have free weights, cycling, yoga, Pilates, personal training, aerobics, a pool, racquetball and basketball courts, a juice bar and a babysitting center.

The club has 280 locations in 21 states and typical operating hours are 5 a.m. to midnight weekdays and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends. The nearest club is in Bridgeville.

Currently, health clubs are not permitted in districts with the "mixed use transitional overlay" designation. The overlay is meant to buffer the area between a residential community and a nearby commercial area. Mt. Lebanon has two such areas: the Kossman property and 1145 Bower Hill Road, near the post office.

In March, the Mt. Lebanon Planning Board voted not to recommend the zoning change but the commission has the final word and wants to hear from residents.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/09120/966518-55.stm

LA Fitness Plan Fails, But Appeal Is Likely

Two Mt. Lebanon Planning Board members rejected a proposal from Kossman Development Co. to add a text amendment to the municipal zoning code permitting a health club in the mixed-use (MX) overlay district.

There are two such zoning districts in the municipality: the Kossman property on Castle Shannon Boulevard, and 1145 Bower Hill Road. The next step open to Kossman would be to go to municipal commissioners directly and ask them to approve an amendment to that zoning district to allow construction of an LA Fitness.

Link: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/04-01-LA-Fitness-B

LA Fitness Planned For Mt. Lebanon

Green Tree-based Kossman Development Company plans to bring an LA Fitness location to Mount Lebanon. The company will present the proposal to the Mt. Lebanon Planning Board, seeking a change to the zoning ordinance of its overlay district, which would allow a health club as a conditional use.

In a prepared release, Kossman described the presentation as the first step in the process to secure L.A. Fitness International LLC as a tenant for the proposed development.

Kossman plans to build two 40,000-square-feet speculative office buildings at the intersection of Mount Lebanon Boulevard and Castle Shannon Boulevard. If approved, the LA Fitness location is expected to bring 60 to 80 jobs and would have a full-service health club with covered parking that would feature racquetball, basketball, a broad range of group fitness programs and an indoor swimming pool.

Link: www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2009/02/23/daily13.html

Construction Where?

After recent drives past the Kossman property on Castle Shannon Boulevard as well as the Washington Park property on Washington Road, I've been wondering what's going on with both of these projects since it looks like nothing has been happening for weeks. Anyone care to share what they know about them?