When developers first approached Spring Township officials about pursuing a project on more than 100 acres of open land on the southeast corner of Broadcasting and Paper Mill roads, they were told the property was the township’s “crown jewel.”
Its sprawling space and ideal location — bordered to the east by Route 222, across the street from Broadcasting Square and just down the street from Penn State Berks — is seen as providing almost unlimited opportunity.
That message was taken seriously by the developers — Atlanta-based SJC Ventures and Washington, D.C.-based Concordia Group — who vowed to create something there equal to the lot’s lofty status.
During a ceremony Thursday morning, with heavy land-moving equipment humming in the background, those developers said they believe they’ve succeeded.
“We will deliver the highest-quality mixed-use development in the region,” Devin Tuohey, co-managing partner of Concordia Group, told a group gathered for the project’s official groundbreaking.
The $350 million development of what will be called “Broadcast District” will create something entirely new for Berks County.
Devin Tuohey, comanaging partner for the Concordia Group, speaks with the media following groundbreaking ceremonies at the Broadcasting District development along Paper Mill and Broadcasting roads in Spring Township on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)
Tuohey said the project centers around the construction of a 35,000-square-foot Whole Foods store, the county’s first branch of the organic grocery chain. It is expected to serve as the anchor for development on the site.
Other retail ventures will follow in 2027, with businesses such as MyEyeDr., Sephora, Nothing Bundt Cakes, European Wax Center, Shake Shack, First Watch and BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse already announced as tenants. Tuohey said about 85% of the 120,000 square feet of retail space has been filled.
More than retail
But Broadcast District isn’t about just retail. The development will include 770 residential units — a mix of townhomes, single-family residences and apartments.
The project will include the creation of 2.5 acres of green space. Features include an outdoor fitness space, dog park and places to gather. A 1-mile walking trail will wind around the development and eventually connect to Penn State Berks campus and Gring’s Mill Recreation Area.
The Broadcasting District development encompasses 103 acres along Broadcasting Road in Spring Township. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)
Tuohey said developers have been working with Penn State Berks to address concerns about a lack of safe access from campus to the new development and Broadcasting Square. The project, he said, will feature traffic and pedestrian crossing upgrades to help make the area walkable.
After all, Tuohey said, that’s the whole idea behind Broadcast District.
“The idea is that once you come home and park your car you don’t need to leave again,” he said. “And that’s what Berks County didn’t have before.”
Tuohey said that while Whole Foods will be the first piece of the project to be completed, the apartments and the rest of the stores and restaurants should follow in late 2027 or early 2028.
The single-family housing will be the final step of the project, he said, and its completion will largely be based on demand.
Government support
The project has drawn support from local and state officials, many of whom attended Thursday’s ceremony.
Sen. Judy Schwank, who helped secure more than $2 million in state grants for transportation improvements for the project, expressed excitement to see Berks welcome the kind of mixed-use development typically seen in the Philadelphia collar counties.
State Sen. Judy Schwank comments during groundbreaking ceremonies at the Broadcasting District development along Broadcasting Road in Spring Township on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)
“In making this investment, Concordia sees Berks County’s potential,” she said.
State Rep. Eric Weaknecht said he was excited to see the site developed, noting that it had been discussed for many years.
“It’s actually happening,” he said, glancing toward the heavy machinery rumbling in the distance. “It’s literally happening right now.”
State Rep. Eric Weaknecht speaks during groundbreaking ceremonies at the Broadcasting District development along Broadcasting Road in Spring Township on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)
Penn State Berks Chancellor Radha Pyati called the product a game-changer for her university and the county as a whole.
“It enriches our lives and community in Berks County,” she said. “This corner of Berks County is going to be amazing.”
Dr. Tadha Pyati, Penn State Berks chancellor, speaks during groundbreaking ceremonies at the Broadcasting District development along Broadcasting Road in Spring Township on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)
Originally Published: October 16, 2025 at 2:00 PM EDT