Steve Nave, of Tri-State Ventures, LP, presented sketch plans to the Bethlehem Township Board of Commissioners during its Monday night meeting. According to Nave, St. Luke’s plans to house medical offices, urgent care, and a physical therapy center in the building.
Variances for both the building and parking lot are still needed from the township zoning hearing board.
“It’s a really difficult site to develop,” said Commissioner Malissa Davis. “I think that diagonally makes it better and less onerous for the residents on the west.”
Davis praised the conceptual plans.
“I think if you put it smack dab on the corner of Farmersville and Easton, it will really be a hardship in the design for one. Second, it could make Farmersville look like a canyon and all the parking would be directed at the residents,” she said.
Commissioner Michael Hudak said he also liked the plans.
“I agree that developing that site, it’s not an easy footprint, and this would work better than pushing everything out to the curb,” he said.
But not every commissioner was convinced that the sketch plan was the right one for the parcel.
”I think it needs to be looked at again,” said Commissioner John Gallagher. “We get a streetscape that is more desirable than all this open space from the street. That’s the purpose of the street enhancement overlay.”
Nave said the streetscape plan for the property will be presented at the zoning hearing meeting for variances.
Commissioners also expressed concern over the potential increase in traffic with the new construction.
“You’re likely going to have to look into a widening of that intersection (Farmersville Road and Easton Avenue),” said Hudak.
Davis said she was concerned about drivers making a left-hand turn onto Easton Avenue during rush hour and potential congestion onto Farmersville Road.
“That intersection backs up and this would be putting traffic onto Farmersville,” she said.
Nave said those same issues have already been expressed by the township’s planning board and will all be further worked out with the traffic and neighborhood impact studies that will be conducted and submitted to PennDOT for review and approval.