HERMITAGE, Pa. –A former National Guard Readiness Center will become Hermitage’s newest community gathering place under a partnership with one of the city’s longest-standing businesses.
George Kraynak, owner of Kraynak’s Home and Garden Center, and Gary Gulla, Hermitage assistant city manager, discuss plans for the Kraynak Community Family Center, which will be located at the former National Guard Readiness Center on North Hermitage Road. The project aims to create a community space that serves residents of all ages while preserving the city’s growing civic campus.
Kraynak says the center is a way to give back to the community that has supported his family’s business for more than seven decades. Gulla explains that city officials will work with community stakeholders to determine how the facility will best serve residents, with potential uses including recreation programs, fitness classes, meeting spaces and other public activities.
The city expects to finalize a purchase agreement for the property while the Pennsylvania National Guard continues using the facility until its new location is completed. Officials say the project strengthens Hermitage’s long-term vision of creating a destination for residents to live, work and gather.