About

Project History

The long-vacant G. C. Murphy Building, located in downtown Blairsville had fallen into such a severe state of disrepair, it became necessary for the building to be demolished in June, 2020. Left behind was a sizable empty lot on the corner of Market and South Stewart Streets in the heart of the town’s business district. The “Murphy Lot” is owned by the Blairsville Community Development Authority (BCDA).

Developing a Vision

In August 2020, the BCDA and the Indiana County Office of Planning & Development partnered on The Murphy Lot Visioning Project, an engagement process that gathered community input to develop a plan for the Murphy Lot location. Through the initial visioning project, community members participated in a series of meetings and surveys, and shared their ideas on how the Murphy Lot could add the most value to the Blairsville and Indiana County communities. Upon conclusion of a series of public meetings, a core group of volunteers has stayed committed to the project. The project team is working closely with the BCDA and Blairsville Borough to convert the lot to a public space where generations of community members can come together and enjoy downtown Blairsville. 

Implementation Stage

The team has established detailed plans for development of a park; the central focal point, a fountain surrounded by benches. The park will incorporate native plantings, trees, and seating areas which will be inviting for both residents and visitors to downtown businesses.

The BCDA have agreed that once the park has been developed, the property will be deeded to the Borough of Blairsville to be maintained as a park. The Murphy Lot has been designated a Park in Perpetuity under the Donated or Dedicated Property Act under the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania laws. This assures that the park will be here to stay , and we can look forward to enjoying the park for many years to come! We are also excited to see the progress on the park development, which started in April 2024! Our aim is to have the grand opening of the park in Spring 2025 (Blairsville’s Bicentennial year)!

This project will be funded entirely by donations.
Please consider contributing.