With the Butler Middle School now officially closed for classes, Butler’s superintendent is laying out the new plans for the facility on East North Street.
Dr. Brian White
Dr. Brian White says they are working with Pittsburgh Gateways Corporation to turn the school into a “multi-use training and business facility.” It will ideally include dedicated spaces for workforce training, small business support, manufacturing prototyping, and lease space for business.
“I’m hopeful we’ll have a letter of intent and an agreement in place by August,” White said. “That really gives them nine months to work with it and really try and develop who’s going to lease from the different space components. The building 180,000 square feet, so it’s not a simple task to find the right kind of tenants that want to work together and collaborate.”
White says the group, also known as PGC, has done previous renovations of older facilities. He adds that it’s important to see the former school succeed.
“Finding someone who we think can take this project on and be successful with it is important to us. This is an asset that the community, and particularly to the City of Butler. If the city succeeds, we succeed.”
The district and the PGC have entered a nine month period of due diligence. White says that if PGC finds a favorable review after that time, the district will transfer ownership to the PGC for a nominal fee.
To read Dr. White’s full letter, click here.
