Ross Church Could Purchase Closed Pittsburgh Hotel

ROSS TOWNSHIP, PA — A house of worship with a Ross location soon could be checking in to the former DoubleTree hotel near Monroeville Mall. Grace Life Church has announced on its website that it is purchasing the former hotel adjacent to the Monroeville Convention Center.

"Great things are ahead," the announcement states. "Grace Life Church is excited to partner with you as we transition our East Campus to the Double Tree Hotel in Monroeville. Join us as we prepare a space of worship, community and fellowship for the church."

Grace Life is a non-denominational church led by co-pastors and married couple Buck and Amy Schafer. The church's North Campus is on McKnight Road in Ross. Its current East Campus is located on William Penn Highway in Monroeville.

The hotel abruptly closed in February, two weeks after news broke that the convention center would be closing and would be converted into a Hobby Lobby store. Hobby Lobby backed out of that plan and the convention center remains open.

Allegheny County property records indicate that a sales transaction has not been completed. The current owners of the hotel at 209 Mall Boulevard are a consortium of individuals affiliated with Oxford Development Co., which has owned the hotel since 2008.

The property currently is valued at $3.6 million.