{"id":4531,"date":"2025-10-16T19:28:04","date_gmt":"2025-10-16T19:28:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/4531\/"},"modified":"2025-10-16T19:28:04","modified_gmt":"2025-10-16T19:28:04","slug":"major-mixed-used-development-breaks-ground-in-spring-township","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/4531\/","title":{"rendered":"Major mixed-used development breaks ground in Spring Township"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\u2019s \u201ccrown jewel.\u201d<\/p>\n

Its sprawling space and ideal location \u2014 bordered to the east by Route 222, across the street from Broadcasting Square and just down the street from Penn State Berks \u2014 is seen as providing almost unlimited opportunity.<\/p>\n

That message was taken seriously by the developers \u2014 Atlanta-based SJC Ventures and Washington, D.C.-based Concordia Group \u2014 who vowed to create something there equal to the lot\u2019s lofty status.<\/p>\n

During a ceremony Thursday morning, with heavy land-moving equipment humming in the background, those developers said they believe they\u2019ve succeeded.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will deliver the highest-quality mixed-use development in the region,\u201d Devin Tuohey, co-managing partner of Concordia Group, told a group gathered for the project\u2019s official groundbreaking.<\/p>\n

The $350 million development of what will be called \u201cBroadcast District<\/a>\u201d will create something entirely new for Berks County.<\/p>\n

\"DevinDevin 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)<\/p>\n

Tuohey said the project centers around the construction of a 35,000-square-foot Whole Foods store, the county\u2019s first branch of the organic grocery chain. It is expected to serve as the anchor for development on the site.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s Restaurant and Brewhouse already announced as tenants. Tuohey said about 85% of the 120,000 square feet of retail space has been filled.<\/p>\n

More than retail<\/p>\n

But Broadcast District isn\u2019t about just retail. The development will include 770\u00a0 residential units \u2014 a mix of townhomes, single-family residences and apartments.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s Mill Recreation Area.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Broadcasting District development encompasses 103 acres along Broadcasting Road in Spring Township. (BILL UHRICH\/READING EAGLE)<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

After all, Tuohey said, that\u2019s the whole idea behind Broadcast District.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe idea is that once you come home and park your car you don\u2019t need to leave again,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd that\u2019s what Berks County didn\u2019t have before.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The single-family housing will be the final step of the project, he said, and its completion will largely be based on demand.<\/p>\n

Government support<\/p>\n

The project has drawn support from local and state officials, many of whom attended Thursday\u2019s ceremony.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\"StateState 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)<\/p>\n

\u201cIn making this investment, Concordia sees Berks County\u2019s potential,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

State Rep. Eric Weaknecht said he was excited to see the site developed, noting that it had been discussed for many years.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s actually happening,\u201d he said, glancing toward the heavy machinery rumbling in the distance. \u201cIt\u2019s literally happening right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"StateState 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)<\/p>\n

Penn State Berks Chancellor Radha Pyati called the product a game-changer for her university and the county as a whole.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt enriches our lives and community in Berks County,\u201d she said. \u201cThis corner of Berks County is going to be amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Dr.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)<\/p>\n

Originally Published: October 16, 2025 at 2:00 PM EDT<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When developers first approached Spring Township officials about pursuing a project on more than 100 acres of open…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4532,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[349,60,182,139,28,128,130,129,1081,435,289,1015],"class_list":["post-4531","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-reading","tag-berks-county","tag-business","tag-local-news","tag-news","tag-pennsylvania","tag-reading-city","tag-reading-city-headlines","tag-reading-city-news","tag-real-estate","tag-restaurants-food-and-drink","tag-things-to-do","tag-top-stories-mer"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4531","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4531"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4531\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4532"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4531"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4531"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4531"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}