Boyce Plaza Apartments Given Tentative Approval; Traffic Improvements Money Still Needed

The Upper St. Clair Township Board of Commissioners seem content to not let perfect be the enemy of good.

While not all of the money is yet in place to add a left-turning lane and left-turn traffic signal at the Boyce Road-Boyce Plaza Road intersection, the commissioners on Monday night gave tentative approval for developers to start building 220 one- and two-bedroom rental units along Boyce Plaza.

The developers, known as Torrente at Upper St. Clair PRD, who aim to build nine three-story apartment buildings there over the next two years, received the approval at least partly based on their commitment of $400,000 to township coffers in order to help to revamp the Boyce intersection.

The total estimated cost to improve the intersection, though—deemed necessary with an expected increase in traffic flow to the area—stands at nearly $700,000, according to Mark Magalotti of Trans Associates, Upper St. Clair's traffic consultant. In addition to the traffic light, roadway-widening work that includes right-of-way acquisition and utility relocations will need to be done.

"I'm fairly confident that, since we're more than halfway there with the developers' contribution, the rest of it will happen," board President Robert W. Orchowski said before joining five fellow commissioners with a "yes" vote. (Commissioner Donald P. Rectenwald Jr. abstained.)

Scott Brillhart, Upper St. Clair's director of community development, mentioned other avenues that he believes exist to make up the difference in money.

"You need to sit down with the property owners and with the township traffic engineer and look at the benefit of improving this intersection," Brillhart said, suggesting that other businesses could contribute. "That's one approach. It's up to the board. We would have to look at if the township was going to provide a portion(, too). We'd also talk to PennDOT (and) SPC (Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission), applying for grants in trying to obtain additional funding."

Brillhart started off Monday's continuance of a public hearing over the Torrente apartments item by referring to the township's most recent Comprehensive Plan.

"The Comprehensive Plan specifically identifies that there is a need for multi-family development within the township," Brillhart said. "The plan states that single-family residential structures make up 92 percent of the township's housing stock. As part of the Quality of Life survey, residents expressed a desire for the availability of a broader and more cost-friendly range of housing products in the community.

"Broadening the variety of housing types in the community could extend additional opportunities to the younger families, to empty nesters, to retirees or first-time home-buyers. In addition, the plan identifies this area specifically in the township for multi-family residential development.

"Also within the Comp Plan, it's recognized that there is a need for traffic improvements along Boyce Road."

Since the Torrente apartments development will be done in phases, township officials have some time to come up with the additional money.

"Ideally, you would like to have the (traffic improvements) project in place by the time the apartment project is built," Magalotti said. "We don't know exactly what the timeframe is going to be for full build-out of the (apartments) project, but ideally, we would like to have it in place at the same time."

Torrente's representatives on Monday also requested that the commissioners approve their development with a 1.6 parking ratio to each apartment unit instead of the normally required 2.0. The representatives claim that there is room to build more parking in the future if necessary.

Developer John Deklewa has described the future rental complex as "upscale" and estimated that rent for the units would range between $1,200 and $1,800 per month.

Similar apartment units are being leased in Murrysville at a site known as Marquis Place.