After negotiations failed to produce an agreement, the borough will use eminent domain to acquire Liberty Street property, which is owned by the Newtown Fire Association (NFA).
According to borough solicitor Greg Heleniak, the borough has been in negotiations with the fire association for the past several months but were unable to reach an agreement “to reflect a financially supported rent” for the borough.
According to a source close to the negotiations, after 15 years of leasing the building to the borough for $1500 per month, the fire company asked for an additional $4,000 a month going forward, boosting the rent up to $5,500.
“We’ve been charging Newtown Borough $1500 a month at our own loss,” the source said. “We finally said fair market value based on tax assessment database numbers and square footage price. They said no. And that’s no in the face of they just discontinued their agreement with the township on what they will pay to the fire company (read #NewtownPA Borough Terminates Fire Agreement with Township).”
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UPDATE 8/7/25: The council passes a resolution at its July 16 meeting exercising its power of eminent domain to acquire the property for continued use as a police station.
On Wednesday (8/6/25), the council unanimously to approve a six month lease extension for use of the property, which it has leased from the fire company for the past 25 years.
Under the terms of the lease, the borough will pay the NFA $3,200, which the borough solicitor said is within the borough’s value range for the property based on an appraisal done by the borough.
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