Exeter Township officials have begun the purchase of a former bank site to serve as the municipality’s new headquarters.
The supervisors in February voted to execute a sales contract to buy the property at 1 Hearthstone Court, near the intersection of Hearthstone Drive and East Neversink Road, at a cost not to exceed $1.4 million.
The 2-story, 7,400-square-foot office building sits on 1.75 acres near the Route 422 Mount Penn interchange.
It was built in 2008 as the headquarters of Berkshire Bank, according to a real estate listing on LoopNet.
Customers Bank bought the property in the 2010s and used it as a branch location and commercial lending office.
“The property is in excellent condition with high quality finishes, fully ADA compliant, beautiful lobby, high-end elevator, and plenty of parking,” the listing says.
The site contains 40 parking spaces, with room for more.
The plan is to move township administrators, the supervisors meeting room and the tax collector to the new building.
Police will then take over the administrative wing of the township’s current headquarters at DeMoss and Gibraltar roads.
New emergency services building
Another plan is in the works for a new 30,000-square-foot facility to house emergency and fire services, across from the township headquarters at DeMoss and Gibraltar.
That project has a price tag of about $23 million.
The township is looking into a bond issuance to fund the building and has applied for $6 million in state grants. The fire department has raised $500,000 toward the project.
The township hired designers and engineers to draft the proposed emergency and fire building. The proposal was presented at a town hall in January and reviewed by the planning commission in February.
Officials have been discussing ways to upgrade Exeter’s municipal space for the past decade, Township Manager William Heim said.
The township is also planning substantial improvements to its public works facilities, Heim said.
“Police have run out of room,” Heim said. “They’re having to rent a trailer to accommodate their detectives and traffic unit. Public works buildings are rotting or rusting. The administration wing, although serviceable, could definitely use some upgrades.”
Other proposals rejected
One rejected solution called for building a $44 million to $51 million municipal complex on the former Promenade property on Perkiomen Avenue at East Neversink Road.
The complex would have housed the township’s office as well as its police, fire and public works departments.
Supervisors voted to cancel that plan in 2022, and the Promenade site was sold to the Berks County Redevelopment Authority. It is under a sale agreement with Metropolitan Management Group, which has proposed developing 232 apartments there.
Another nixed plan, proposed about three years ago, called for a public works facility across Gibraltar Road from the current township building, and a new fire and emergency services station on DeMoss Road. That plan would have cost $60 million to $70 million.
Heim said the move to Hearthstone Court is less costly than previous proposals.
He said the projects will be funded by the sale of Exeter’s wastewater treatment plan, as well as grants, donations and tax revenue.
“Total (project) expenses will be the least by far of any previous options,” Heim said. “Any increase in taxes may be difficult for residents, but our township services need facilities that allow them to safely and efficiently support operations that benefit Exeter residents, businesses and visitors.”
Supervisor Amanda Johnsen said she thought the purchase of the bank property was a good move.
“Previous propositions for upgrades were much more costly and not as well thought out,” Johnsen said.
Supervisor Mohammed Mohammed said he was glad township personnel will finally have proper facilities.
“I think this is going to be fantastic for our township,” Mohammed said.
The lower cost of buying the bank property is a major selling point, Supervisor George Bell said. He also noted that it will have better parking and a larger meeting space than what is available now.
Heim noted the sale agreement is contingent on an appraisal and inspection of the property to ensure no major deficiencies.
Exeter Township officials have begun the purchase of a former bank site at 1 Hearthstone Court to serve as the township’s new headquarters. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)
