Shenandoah Woods Transforming Into Trails In Warminster Township

WARMINSTER, PA —The transformation of Shenandoah Woods has begun.

After months of demolition at the abandoned Navy development site, township officials are now moving on to discussing the property's future, announcing at the end of its meeting earlier this month that trails are coming.

Supervisors Chairman Kenneth Hayes said that the township is receiving $1.5 million in funding that was requested to pay for some of the demolition. See drone footage of the demolition work.

"What a fantastic job our contractor did there," Hayes said. "You would never know it was as blighted as it was. I can't wait. It's been a long time coming. We will be moving forward with redevelopment. It will be trails and a wonderful addition to the parks."

Through the Community Project Funding Request process for the 117th Congress., U.S. Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-1) sought and secured $19.015 million for the projects in Pennsylvania’s First Congressional District, which includes all of Bucks County and a portion of Montgomery County.

The Shenandoah Woods Improvement and Revitalization Project has been part of a decades-long effort to repurpose the former residential development that was abandoned by the Navy Department.

The project site, which is located adjacent to Warminster Community Park, will become part of the 243-acre park.

Facilities available at the Warminster Community Park include walking trails, nature areas, parking, a playground, a pavilion, a picnic area, a pond, restrooms, and soccer fields.

The project site is a vacant, blighted property and a designated Certified Redevelopment Area under the Pennsylvania Urban Redevelopment Law.

Township Manager Tom Scott had told the supervisors that all of the vacant houses were coming down shortly and that 199 building slabs needed removal.

He said the contractor made a proposal to the Bucks County Redevelopment Authority to remove the slabs at a cost of $289,000. He said that a snag was hit when the conservation district stated that an earth disturbance permit was needed to shave the concrete off the gravel.

"This is the biggest blight removal project outside the city of Philadelphia and the four-county region," Scott said.

Supervisors unanimously approved the work change order with Hayes saying the township wanted to expedite the general permit in hopes of avoiding the payment of a $25,000 fee for equipment to come out again.

Hayes said the hope for Shenandoah Woods is for residents to one day be able to walk down into the ravine, go on the walking trails and see native species plantings and birds.

"We are a bird town," Hayes said. "This has finally it's happened. We're thrilled. It's going to be a great addition for the residents."

Shenandoah Woods was approved to be razed in 2012.

The vacant development was designated a blighted area in 2011 by the Bucks County Redevelopment Authority and the Warminster planning commission, given the area’s inadequate planning, faulty street layout, and economically undesirable land use.

In late July, Beinke Wrecking was awarded the bid by supervisors.