Onorato Says Braddock Hospital Site Won't Be Abandoned

Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato said Tuesday that the site that until last month housed UPMC Braddock will not be abandoned. He announced a plan to demolish the building and replace it with a multi-use building that would have senior-citizen housing, primary-care doctor's offices and work-force development classes from Community College of Allegheny County.

Onorato said UPMC has agreed to tear down the existing building if they cannot find a buyer. Then, the county will put out a request for proposals from private developers willing to develop the vacant site. The development would be funded by public and private dollars.

The cost to retrofit the building would be about 25 million dollars, he said, the cost to rebuild would be about 24 million.

The building would also have a cafe or restaurant and an ATM, the only one in the community.

Onorato said UPMC has committed to make payments to Braddock of $90,000 a year for five years in lieu of taxes. UPMC has also implemented shuttle service for residents -- five times a day -- from Braddock to the nearest hospitals.

The closing of the hospital was not a popular one with the residents of the borough.