NEWTOWN BOROUGH, PA — Businessman Jim Worthington is scheduled to unveil his latest vision for the Liberty Centre redevelopment project at tonight's meeting of the Newtown Borough Council.
The plan, according to council sources, is "markedly different" from the one he outlined earlier this year, which envisioned a major residential project, an outdoor public gathering space, and a walkway along the creek.
The nine-acre site stretches south from Centre Avenue along the Newtown Creek to a point behind the Wine & Spirits store and includes the former beer store, which would be demolished as part of the project.
After hearing the plan in March, Council voiced concern over the residential-only nature of the project and said it would rather see some type of mixed-use concept that would better activate the space with the adjoining State Street business district and the community.
Council also expressed reservations over the size of the four residential buildings being proposed and the loss of its downtown parking areas behind Starbucks and in front of the former liquor and beer store off of Centre Avenue.
Sources tell Patch the new plan will save and improve those key downtown parking areas off of Centre Avenue.
The plan will also reintroduce 6,000 square feet of retail/restaurant uses to activate a new village square proposed at the heart of the development.
Since April, a subcommittee of council has been meeting privately with the developer to see if it could reach a compromise that would better integrate the new development into the downtown. The council later retained TCA, a professional consultant to help guide it through the process.
In addition to hearing the undated plans tonight, the council will be acting on a motion to retain the services of TCA for the Liberty Centre project.
Worthington acquired the property from developer Allan Smith in early 2025 after Smith approached Worthington with an offer to sell.
Smith had secured plan approvals for Steeple View, a mixed-use project that included up to seven multi-story buildings with apartments on the upper floors and retail and restaurant uses at street level.
Since acquiring the land and after talking with key stakeholders, Worthington dropped the retail and restaurant uses from the plan.
What he proposed keeping from Smith's plan is a proposed walkway along the Newtown Creek and a public plaza, which he proposed to triple in size from 5,000 to 15,000 square feet
The proposed creek walk would also be enhanced from Smith's original vision, said Worthington in March.
"We want it more like a promenade. Not big, but something more grand with beautiful lighting, a landscaped trail and benches that would be leading from Centre Avenue up to the Chandler Hall ballfields with a bridge across the creek."
Tonight's meeting begins at 7 p.m. at the Chancellor Center. The presentation by Worthington will be part of council's regular monthly business meeting.
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