Parking Expected To Dominate Review Of Steeple View Plans In Newtown

NEWTOWN BOROUGH, PA — Parking is expected to dominate much of the discussion Monday night as the Newtown Borough Planning Commission continues reviewing revised amended preliminary as final plans for the second phase of the Steeple View redevelopment project.

The planning commission is scheduled to meet in hybrid session with developer Allan Smith and his attorney, Tim Duffy. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at the Newtown Borough Hall.

Smith is seeking approval for a revised plan for the largest redevelopment project in recent borough history.

The plan proposes seven new multi-story buildings on nearly nine acres of land along with a public piazza off of Centre Avenue and a public greenway along the Newtown Creek.

The project site extends from Centre Avenue south to the former Stockburger property off of South State Street and behind the new Wine and Spirits store, which was phase one of the project.

Plans call for a one way internal roadway from Centre Avenue to a new Center Plaza traffic circle behind the Wine and Spirits store that would direct traffic back onto South State Street or to four new residential condominium buildings planned for the southern end of the site.

At the northern end of the site, a public piazza, or town square, would be framed by two new three story mixed use buildings - one with retail on the first floor and residential units above behind the Starbucks and the second overlooking the piazza with a restaurant use on the first floor and living units above.

The Steeple View redevelopment project gets its name from the steeple of Olde Saint Andrew Church, which is visible from the site. (photo by Jeff Werner)

While the plan calls for a less intense project than what was approved in 2016, with the elimination of a proposed parking garage the revised plan comes up short on parking by 156 spaces, according to the borough’s engineer who led a review of the plan at the January meeting.

Duffy said part of the parking deficit could be accommodated off site at Smith’s nearby Stocking Works complex on South State Street. In addition, they would need to use the 2.8 acres of proposed green space at the heart of the project site for parking.

The green space had originally been designated for surface parking in Smith’s revised plan presented last spring, but was changed to green space to break up the asphalt at the suggestion of the late Council President Susan Turner. The green space was added with the idea that if parking was needed it could be converted.

“The three big things we want to look at is the impact on parking, the traffic impact study that has not yet been completed that will help us understand how the traffic flows and the actual calculation of what parking is available both on site and off site,” said planning commission chair Mark Craig.

“We have a significant parking situation,” he added. “As many as 150 spots required for this development they would like to place at the Stocking Works. And according to our ordinance, they may not be able to do that. And they may have to provide as many as 70 additional spots on site, which will have a significant impact on how the project is currently laid out.”

The plan had proposed a small green park abutting the canal walk greenway. All of that would have to be used for parking, said Craig eliminating any green space in what may end up being a sea of asphalt. “Plus they would have to come up with 70 more spaces. I don’t know where they’re going to find them without eliminating a building.

“We need to address this whole issue with parking. Do they have enough on site?” said Craig.

Craig said it will be incumbent upon the developer to provide parking calculations and to show how they intend to accommodate what’s required under the ordinances.

Several other issues will also need to be addressed with the plan. Among them will be traffic flow into and out of the site, especially at the South State Street entrance and exit to the site and on Centre Avenue.

Also to be determined is the future use of a restored barn that the developer deconstructed more than a decade ago with an agreement that it would be integrated into the new development as a public use.

The developer has proposed rebuilding the structure at the surface parking lot for use as a covered parking structure for up to eight vehicles.

Another issue that will need to be addressed is the developer’s request to defer a proposed footbridge connecting Newtown Borough to Newtown Township at Carl Sedia Park to the end of the project timeline.

“We have no problem putting a bridge in,” said Duffy in January. “It’s an issue of timing.

“We just can’t plop a bridge down that goes into someone else’s jurisdiction. It’s something we have to get the township on board with. They may want to build a trail to where the bridge comes over,” he said. “There’s a lot that’s going to have to take place and we want to focus on getting the Newtown every Borough things finished.

“We will be required to post financial securities for the bridge,” Duffy added. “You’ll have the financial securities and it will be part of the plan. We just feel it’s more important to get the piazza built, the greenway built and then within two years of substantial completion get that bridge built.”

There is also the issue of cost, said Duffy, who argued that the revenue won't start flowing in a positive direction on the project until it has certificates of occupancy in hand for all the residential units.

“You’re not looking at Brixmor here,” said Smith. “This is a local guy who grew up in the borough and has a track record of things he has done. I’d love to have this thing done in a nanosecond because we are bleeding money right now. The quicker we can get this thing fully occupied and
the cash flows the other way the quicker that bridge gets done. We have every incentive to get this project up as soon as possible because until we do the money is only going one direction.”

The planners sought a compromise, asking if Smith would be willing to “get the ball rolling” on the bridge project by moving forward with the permit and engineering process after securing occupancy permits on half of the proposed 88 residential units.

“We want to make sure we are moving in the direction of that bridge,” said Craig.

Meanwhile time is running out in the approvals process.

Late last year the borough approved a project extension until March. With a number of studies still needed to be done, Craig said he doubts they'll be able to vote on a plan Monday night. That means the developer will need to request another extension for the project.

Once approved, the proposed Steeple View project would be done in segments beginning with the demolition of the former wine and spirits store, the former Stockburger garages and the relocation of utilities.

Work would then begin on the public piazza and the greenway followed by construction of the two proposed mixed use retail and residential buildings off of Centre Avenue.

The final segment would include construction of a new mixed use retail and residential building next to the Fine Wine and Good Spirits store and the four condominium buildings on the south end of the site.