203 RAILROAD ST-DAWSON BOROUGH | FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

NOTICE – CONSULTATION FOR DEMOLITION:

203 RAILROAD ST-DAWSON BOROUGH | FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

NOVEMBER 7, 2025

On behalf of Fayette County, the Redevelopment Authority of the County of Fayette (RACF) is proposing to undertake a project which involves the demolition of a mixed-use property located at 203 Railroad Street in Dawson Borough, Fayette County, Pennsylvania. A portion of this project may be funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. CDBG funds are provided to Fayette County through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED).

This property is located on Railroad Street in the central portion of the Borough near Main Street and River Road (parcel ID 07-03-0003). This property has been abandoned by the previous owner and was listed in the Judicial / Free and Clear sale that was held on June 16, 2025. At the time of the sale, the Redevelopment Authority, which also serves as the Land Bank for Fayette County, submitted a priority bid and initiated a process to take possession of the property.

The property has been deemed unsafe and has been condemned by Borough code enforcement officials. Despite the deteriorated state of this property, rehabilitation was considered as part of the Environmental Review process. In the process an economic feasibility assessment was conducted, and it has been concluded that rehabilitation of the structure is far greater than the after-rehabilitation market value. The estimated cost of rehabilitation is $737,786. As a result, it was concluded economically infeasible to rehabilitate. Therefore, it is the intent of the Redevelopment Authority to pursue demolition.

As part of the Environmental Review process, RACF consulted with the PA State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). During consultation, this property was identified as one of the 107 contributing resources within the Dawson Historic District (Resource # 1996RE00041), which is a national historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) by the U.S. Department of Interior since 1997. The district is significant under Criterion A for its association with Industry and also under Criterion C with significance in Architecture and the period of significance spans from 1870-1947. The building proposed for demolition at 203 Railroad Street is a ca. 1910 mixed-use commercial and residential building and represents some of the last remaining worker housing built during the bituminous era. It was SHPO’s finding that demolition would result in an Adverse Effect on the Dawson Historic District.

The purpose of this Notice is twofold: 1) to notify community members and other interested parties of the proposed demolition and SHPO’s finding of Adverse Effect on the historic district, and 2) to gage the interest of those members and interested parties in acting as a consulting party regarding the required mitigation. All parties wishing to comment or participate as a consulting party may join RACF for a consultation meeting on

November 17, 2025 at 10:00am. The meeting will be held via TEAMS (CLICK HERE – Meeting ID: 275 479 810 959 55,

Passcode: Zc2FE3fj).

All comments should be submitted within the next 30 days, or by COB December 8, 2025. Written comments should be directed to: Andrew P. French, RACF Executive Director c/o Brenda M. Girod, Community Development Coordinator at the Redevelopment Authority of the County of Fayette, Pennsylvania – 86 West Main Street, Uniontown Pennsylvania 15401; or via email at bgirod@racfpa.org. 86 West Main Street, Uniontown, Pennsylvania 15401

203 Railroad Street – Dawson Historic District

Dawson Borough, Fayette County PA

Distribution List:

• Fayette County Commissioners

• Dawson Borough Council

• Fayette County Historical Society

• The Greater Tri-Town Area Historical Society

• Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau

• Western Pennsylvania Conservancy

• Progress Fund

• National Road Heritage Corridor

• Rivers of Steel Heritage Area

• Preservation Pennsylvania

• PA State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO)

• Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP)

Posting Locations:

• Fayette County Courthouse

• RACF Offices

• RACF Web-Site (www.racfpa.org)

• Dawson Borough Building