A Pittsburgh business plans to relocate to Sewickley
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A Pittsburgh-based business consulting firm plans to move its headquarters to Sewickley.
AE Works, founded by Sewickley resident Michael Cherock, wants to relocate from Sandusky Street in the city to 418 Beaver St. in the borough.
The building in question is the former Explore Sewickley office, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting and improving the borough.
Borough planning commissioners unanimously approved AE Works’ conditional/mixed use application Wednesday night following a presentation by the company.
Plans include creating a second floor to the current building with the first floor used as retail space.
The second floor would be for professional offices and small meeting areas.
The lot is 1,740 square feet. There would be access from Beaver and Water streets. The company also plans to acquire leases for at least five parking spaces.
Cherock said it would be an easier commute to work if the project goes through, and being close to an airport was also a big selling point for the move.
“It marks a pretty critical step and a new strategic vision for the company,” Cherock said. “We’re very excited to be able to take this building (and) inject new life into it.”
Borough code and zoning technician Randy McCray said retail and professional office space are both permitted uses in what’s colloquially called the village, but having them both in one building makes it a conditional/mixed use.
“It appears to be in compliance with requirements,” McCray said about AE Work’s plans.
Cherock said a retailer has not yet been selected to occupy the first floor.
“We don’t know what’s happening in our world around retail,” he said. “We do think the energy being injected into the building will make it more attractive for retail. We do want it to be able to be competitive with the rest of the business district and offer an attractive option for retailers.
“We hope to complete the project around the first quarter, the second quarter of 2021 if everything goes right. We’ll be aggressively pursuing a retail tenant for sure.”
Planning commission Chairman Nathan St. Germain said the building was also a former Dollar Bank, and plans to replace the old ATM location with a window would be a big improvement to the facade.
“I think that it was very informative and very clear in terms of the approach that you’ve taken to what it is that you’re doing, why you are doing it and what you are doing is compliant with the current zoning ordinance and requirement,” St. Germain said about the presentation.
The firm offers engineering, architectural, interior design and a host of other services.
Cherock said there are about 45 people in the company with 30 based in Pittsburgh.
The company’s presentation was attached to the planning commission agenda, which is available online at sewickleyborough.org.
The commissioners also voted Wednesday to recommend adding language about driveways being required to meet PennDOT standards, and to allow a 15% grade between the sidewalk and the road, into the subdivision and land development ordinance.
‘Performance-based zoning standards’ considered
The commissioners discussed incentivizing performance-based zoning standards and developing a point system for developments.
Commissioner Ed Green talked about developers using off-street parking, having a bicycle parking station or electronic car charging station as possible things that would lead to bonuses like permitting additional floors to a building.
Other bonuses could be permitting a reduction in setback and square-footage requirements and approval of mixed-use zoning.
Commissioner Thomas Wigens suggested integrated underground parking be incentivized, and that incentives should be prioritized based on zoning.
The commissioners agreed more discussion about the incentive possibilities was needed. It’s unclear when any official action would be taken.
“We’re going to be at it for a while,” said Commissioner Tom Rostek.