Feb 12, 2015 2 min read

Consol Energy apparently abandoned plans to develop land around two lakes it owns in North Franklin Township and listed the property for sale for $2.9 million.

The Southpointe-based energy company is selling 477 acres of land, excluding the lakes along Scenic Drive, for that price with Colliers International, according to the listing at the Pittsburgh commercial real estate market company’s website.

”I can confirm the property is for sale,” Consol spokeswoman Kate O’Donovan said in an email Wednesday, referring additional comment to Colliers.

The property was once owned by Pennsylvania American Water Co., which used the lakes as reservoirs for its public water supply. Pennsylvania American Water sold the property to developer Alex Paris of Bulger, who planned to develop upscale housing there until the last recession slowed the housing market.

Paris then sold the 1,000-acre site to CNX Land Resources, a Consol subsidiary, for $9.1 million, and the water there has since been used to supply the booming Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling industry in Washington and Greene counties.

Colliers listed the property as being located in a “high demand energy corridor” that is prime for residential development and recreation.

In July 2014 ,North Franklin supervisors were expecting to meet with Consol over a tentative plan to develop the site.

O’Donovan at the time said the development plans were in the early stages, that Consol was exploring its options for the property.

Township supervising Chairman Silvio Passalacqua said there are challenges to developing the property because of the ability to extend public sewers to the area.