The massive construction plan for the 206-acre LifeQuest Nursing Center along John Fries Highway in Milford may come to life as early as late spring of 2014, officials announced Dec. 17.

        Supervisors unanimously approved phase I of the project, which comprises a 41-acre section of the existing LifeQuest Nursing Center campus off Mill Hill Road, to include a new child care center, additional assisted living building with 123 units and kitchen as well as a 40-unit memory care building with new roadways throughout.

        A traffic light with turning lanes is also planned for the entrance of the campus at LifeQuest Drive with construction starting in the summer of 2014. Temporary driveway access will be available as well.

The proposed project is so large in scale that for each phase, conditional use and land development approvals must be obtained from the township.

Construction is scheduled for completion sometime in 2015.

        Del Markward, respresentative for LifeQuest, was at the meeting to provide insight into the project that has been in the works for nearly 10 years and may take just as long to complete, officials said.   

        Recently the project discussion was tabled by the board of supervisors due to minor technicalities needing to be addressed by the township’s engineer, Pete Andersen. However, Tuesday night’s meeting reflected no major changes to the original master plan for phase I.

        The overall project is to consist of a total of 208 apartments, 140 assisted living units, congregate care totaling approximately 576 units, 33 cottages and 41 townhomes. St. Luke’s Hospital and Health Network has also purchased a 30-acre portion of the property.  No official action has been announced to date on the hospital’s plans for the campus.

        In other business, officials approved the township’s 2014 budget with no tax increase to residents. The budget came in just over $3.2 million and, “provides for maintenance of roads, bridges, parks and buildings, as well as snow and ice control,” Township Manager Jeff Vey explained.

        Plans to resurface roads such as Barrel Run Road and Vasser Drive, continued work on the storm basin on Sleepy Hollow Road, and rebuilding and realigning Weiss Road from Progress Drive to Wentz Road are also part of the township’s program. Officials will provide attention to the reconstruction of Mill Road west of Portzer Road and the Rosenberger Road bridge, additionally.

        The 2014 budget breakdown is available on the township’s website at www.milfordtownship.org.