A draft final report released Tuesday on the future of the property of the now-closed Mayview State Hospital recommends that it be sold for fair market value and that the proceeds be put into a restricted account for mental health/mental retardation housing and services.

The report, issued by the Mayview State Hospital Land Reuse Task Force, also calls for a requirement that any future buyer set aside or sell the upper portion of the property, west of Mayview Road, for recreational use by South Fayette Township.

South Fayette recently created a commercial recreational zoning designation with the Mayview property in mind to allow low-density residential development, parks, golf courses and similar uses.

The township also expressed interest in acquiring the hospital's former geriatric area, adjacent to Fairview Park on the west side of Mayview Road.

South Fayette Manager Mike Hoy could not be reached for comment on the report.

But Greg Mahon, as aide to state Sen. John Pippy, R-Moon, who has been handling administrative duties for the task force, said he believed South Fayette officials would be happy with the recommendation.

The task force is co-chaired by Mr. Pippy and state Rep. Nick Kotick, D- Robinson.

In addition to setting aside the upper portion of the property for recreation or park space, the report also calls for easements to be granted by the future property owner for trails in the flood plain area between the rail line and Chartiers Creek.

The report also recommends preserving environmentally sensitive areas and establishing conservation easements for the creek, wetlands, steep slopes and wooded areas and calls for all established easements to be held by a land trust.

And, the report calls for the dedication of a memorial to individuals who lived and were treated at Mayview.

None of the recommendations should come as a surprise, as they were drawn from discussions and suggestions garnered during the task force's numerous meetings and presentations.

"Anybody who has been attending the meetings or following along shouldn't be surprised at what's in the report. These recommendations are the ones everyone as a whole rallied around and supported," Mr. Mahon said.

The draft report recommends that the sale of the property take place via a "solicitation for proposals" that "conform to South Fayette Township and Allegheny County's land use plan."

The solicitation would outline the recommendations in the report and ask potential buyers to comply with the recommendations.

Mayview Hospital, which originally opened in 1893, was closed by the state Department of Public Welfare on Dec. 31, 2008.

The Mayview State Hospital Land Reuse Task Force was created at the request of the welfare department after the hospital's closure was announced.

Its mission has been to determine the best use of the land, with the interests of the citizens and surrounding community and influences on environment, history and cultural resources taken into consideration, the report said.

The property, which is accessed by Mayview Road, includes about 240 acres surrounded on three sides by Chartiers Creek, and about 35 percent is covered with buildings and pavement. The hospital buildings contain a significant amount of asbestos, which is expected to make either demolition or renovation expensive.

The report said 70 acres of the property serve as wetland mitigation, but about 60 developable acres are located on the flat, lower portion of the property with another 40 developable acres located on the upper portion.

Before the draft report becomes final, the task force will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday on the hospital grounds in the dietary building's regional conference room, where previous task force meetings have been held.

Mr. Mahon said if the task force members agree on the recommendations in the draft report, it will become final and will be forwarded to the state Department of Public Welfare and Department of General Services.

Marketing of the property will be handled by the general services department, which has had an appraisal conducted. That appraisal is being reviewed and it's possible that a market value on the property will be available at Tuesday's meeting, Mr. Mahon said.

The process followed by the Mayview task force mirrors ones that followed the closing of six other state-owned mental health facilities. Of those six, three were transferred to local governments, two were transferred to other state agencies and one was sold through a competitive bidding process to a private organization.