Bower Hill Road Walgreens Is Moving Forward

Officials at Walgreen's site show little concern over parking distance

Another issue has been brought up concerning the proposed Walgreens drugstore at Bower Hill Road and North Wren Drive, but Scott officials appear not to be overly concerned about it.

Link: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07214/806100-55.stm

Bower Hill Road Walgreens OK'd

Despite pleas from a small group of people in Mt. Lebanon, Scott commissioners have granted approval for a Walgreens drugstore at Bower Hill Road and North Wren Drive, on the border of the two neighboring communities.

The unanimous approval, made April 24, didn't come without conditions: securing a variance from the township zoning hearing board for an 11-spot parking shortage, having adequate sewer availability from Mt. Lebanon and an executed copy of an easement agreement between St. Clair Hospital and developer Bowen Development Co., completing a satisfactory developer's agreement and addressing a minor slope issue at the site.

Link: www.postgazette.com/pg/07130/784629-55.stm

Lebo: Walgreens Not Welcome

Over the holidays, I took the time to catch up on my reading and I stumbled upon this letter to the editor to The Almanac and I thought it hit the nail on the head with regards to why the St. Clair Shops are in the condition that they are. If you ask any of the people that have already left -- Hallmark, Truver's Jewelry, etc. -- they'll tell you they were not offered the ability to sign a long term lease for their location because of the (future) development of a Walgreens in that location.

I made my opinion abundantly clear last year when I commented on this issue before, and nothing has changed. The Food Gallery/Scozio's/Sparkle Market stores were great places where lots of "west side" Mt. Lebanon residents could walk to for groceries -- especially elderly residents of the large Bower Hill Apartments complex next door.

I personally do NOT welcome Walgreen's to Mt. Lebanon and I think it's a damn shame that this has happened at all. As John said in his letter, this shopping center used to be busy all the time before Walgreens bought it. Having another mega-pharmacy is not what we need right now.