The new developer of the 309 Commerce Center in Upper Saucon Township is changing plans.
Panattoni Development submitted a revised plan to have only a single industrial building on the 118-acre site along East Valley Road. The Missouri company bought the land in September for $150 million. At that time, the plan was for three warehouses.
The modification was approved by the township’s Board of Supervisors at its April meeting. It was part of a settlement agreement between Upper Saucon and Panattoni in which the developer received $202,000 in transportation impact fees that were paid to the township by previous developers to offset construction costs of a planned interchange between Route 309 and West Hopewell Road.
The new plan reduces the total warehouse building area from 1.7 million square feet to 1.2 million square feet. Chair John Inglis said the new orientation of the building would provide increased buffering for the homes along East Valley Road.
Supervisors approved it with a 5-0 vote. The township previously approved the plan for three warehouses, and any revisions needed a new vote.
A Panattoni spokesperson told The Morning Call that more details will be released in the future.
“The project referenced in the Upper Saucon Township Board of Supervisors’ agenda reflects a proposed alternate land development plan for the project,” the spokesperson said. “It represents a single-building configuration that reduces overall building and imperious coverage and may be utilized in lieu of a three building plan to address the needs of a potential user. The alternative plan is planned, though not completely final, and additional information can be shared as the details of the project become solidified.”
Previous land owner Kay-Lehigh LLC, which bought the parcel in 2020 for $21 million, was met with skepticism from some Upper Saucon residents during meetings in 2023. They were concerned about increased truck traffic and whether Route 309 was capable of handling it.
Township officials said there was little they could do to stop the development. The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission lauded the proposal because the location fits into its regional plan, as Route 309 is a major road that provides a direct link to Interstate 78.
PennDOT is planning to improve Route 309 through the area with a $71 million project to convert its intersection with Center Valley Parkway and West Saucon Valley Road into a grade-separated interchange.
Morning Call reporter Evan Jones can be reached at ejones@mcall.com.