The 2026 Washington County Real Estate Expo was held Thursday and much of the programming centered on development. Panel discussions dealt with residential and commercial development. Richard Gasperini of Genfour Real Estate concentrates on industrial development. He highlighted development along PA Turnpike 576, Interstate 70 and spoke glowingly about light industrial development taking place at the Washington Crown Center. Data Centers also were discussed. In a breakout session, Brian Patten of Next Generation Land Development Company, John Bates of Prime Data Centers and Mike Sicoli of DQE Communications discussed how data centers will need to generate their own power off of the main power grid to operate. They also discussed how new data centers will be using closed loop air cooled cooling systems that will use considerably less water than what has been described in current data centers. Despite those assurances, Jodi Borello, Community Organizer for the Center for Coalfield Justice said that developers should slow down and find out from residents personally whether a data center is welcome. She said that many in Washington and Greene Counties do not want the serenity of their rural homes disturbed by data centers. Tony Rosenberger of Chapman Properties updated progress on the former Washington Mall site. He says that once the building for Harbor Freight is finished in June, full demolition of the buildings will take place. Campers RV renovations are underway and they expect to open in late summer.