Public Bid Period on Former Eastern Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute Property, 12 Other Properties, to Close Over Next 40 Days

HARRISBURG, Pa., Oct. 16, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Opportunities to bid on the former Eastern Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute and 12 other state properties will end at various times over the next 40 days according to State Secretary of General Services Sheri Phillips.

"Over the next 40 days, bidding will come to a close on 13 properties, and we want to ensure that interested parties are aware of the deadlines and requirements to make responsive bids," Phillips said. "Many of these vacant properties present a prime opportunity for development and not only enable the commonwealth to return them to the local tax roles but they also contribute to the improvement of the surrounding communities."    

The Eastern Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute property located at 3200 Henry Ave., Philadelphia, consists of nearly 14 acres of land and several large multi-story buildings.

Situated in the East Falls Section of Philadelphia – only minutes away from Center City – the property presents some very attractive land development opportunities as it is conveniently located near Roosevelt Boulevard and the Schuylkill Expressway with good access to SEPTA bus and rail service. Bids on this property are due to the Department of General Services by close of business on Oct. 23, 2013.

In addition to the Eastern Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute, the list of properties includes 11 armories and a PennDOT maintenance facility. The bidding on these properties will close between Nov. 4 and Dec. 4, 2013.

All properties will be sold via sealed competitive bid for a price that meets or exceeds the Fair Market Value. The armories may be subject to a 20 percent discount in exchange for accepting historical preservation restrictions. Bid terms for each property can be found in their respective bid packages.

"These properties are phase one of one of the largest surplus property packages to be approved in decades," Phillips said. "We will be putting additional properties out for bid in the near future."

Since Corbett took office in 2011, 41 surplus properties have been sold, bringing in nearly $32 million in non-tax revenue, while shedding more than $5 million in expenses to maintain empty, unnecessary facilities and surrounding land.

To view all properties currently available for public bid along with information on the property and how to bid, visit the Department of General Services' eMarketplace website at www.eMarketplace.state.pa.us, click on the "Solicitations" icon and select "Real Estate" in the" Advertisement Type" box.

Media contact: Troy Thompson, 717-787-3197

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of General Services