Pittsburgh area mall headed for demolition

The Washington Mall, located in a township about 35 miles from Pittsburgh in western Pennsylvania, may soon be the site of a demolition project.

County commissioners in Washington County, where the mall is located, reportedly have approved plans for the mall’s demolition and indicate a redevelopment project may soon follow at the site.

A Washington County commissioner tells KDKA-TV inspectors deemed the vacant shopping mall a blighted structure, helping clear the way for the demolition and redevelopment plans.

The report indicates partial funding for the project will come from a Washington County Blight Mitigation and Demolition Fund. According to the Redevelopment Authority of Washington County website, the program uses $12 million of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.

“Eliminating blight is essential to sustaining healthy communities, fostering economic development and improving the quality of life in Washington County," Washington County Commissioner Nick Sherman tells KDKA. "Blighted buildings drain municipal resources, inhibit economic growth and create negative perceptions of our communities.”

Sherman also says demolition activity will begin this spring, and redevelopment plans include one “major tenant” that has been secured, while the county also is working closely with experienced developers to bring additional businesses to the site.

The 375,000-square-foot Washington Mall opened in 1968 and began losing tenants in the mid-2000s, according to regional media reports. It was largely vacant by 2014, with the only remaining tenants being those in outbuildings or with direct exterior access.