SPRING TWP., Pa. — Several national retailers and restaurant chains are preparing to open their first Berks County locations.
Developers on Friday announced some of the tenants that will occupy a mixed-use center that’s currently in the works for a large parcel of vacant land at Broadcasting and Paper Mill roads, adjacent to Route 222 and across from the Broadcasting Square shopping center, in Spring Township.
Officials said the site, named Broadcast District at Spring Township, will be anchored by Berks County’s first Whole Foods Market, a 35,000-square-foot upscale organic grocery store that is owned by Amazon.
SJC Ventures, an Atlanta-based mixed-use, retail and multi-family development firm, and The Concordia Group, a D.C.-based land, commercial and residential developer, recently closed on the property, which has been considered for a number of uses over the years, including a Walmart Supercenter, a strip mall, and a Reading Hospital health clinic.
The BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse at Park City Center in Lancaster.
69 WFMZ-TV | Matt Roth
The mixed-use center will feature 120,000 square feet of retail space and include MyEyeDr., Sephora, Nothing Bundt Cakes, European Wax Center, Shake Shack, First Watch, and BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse.
The center will also include a mix of 441 residential townhomes and single-family homes by Lennar and 341 apartments developed by SJC Ventures.
Broadcast District will feature 2.5 acres of open greenspace designed for a variety of uses and include an outdoor fitness space, a dog park, and gathering places. A one-mile walking trail will wind around the entire development.
“We chose this location because it sits in a strong demographic area that draws visitors from as far as 50 miles away,” said Jeff Garrison, principal at SJC Ventures.
“This is the top outdoor shopping destination in Pennsylvania and it’s the perfect setting to introduce a dynamic mixed-use space. We’re excited to create a vibrant live-work-play environment that not only brings retail and residential together but also offers ample green space for recreation, connection and relaxation.”
Developing the property has been under discussion and in several stages of planning in recent years.
SJC Ventures purchased the property from The Concordia Group in mid-September, and officials said the clearing of the site and infrastructure work is already underway.
Construction is slated to begin the first quarter of 2026, with first tenant openings projected for fall 2027.