Town and Country Newspaper

Local News Article

Urgent Medical Care Facility Slated for Washington Township

Written by Mary Gibbs Kershner, Correspondent
2013-01-30

Route 100 in Washington Township may soon be the new home of an urgent medical care facility and physicians’ offices.

John Aston presented plans to the Washington Township board of supervisors Thursday night on behalf of his clients, William and Rose Gross, for two 16,000-sq.-ft. buildings on 11 acres they own along Route 100. One building would house the medical care facility and the other building would encompass physicians’ offices and related medical uses.

Aston, a surveyor, said the property is located near the Gross Bus Company at 1200 Route 100, across the street from Calvary United Church of Christ. The parcel is zoned commercial and plans are reportedly consistent with the township’s zoning ordinances.

Aston indicated the township’s planning commission looked favorably on the project. However, PennDOT has not reviewed the plans for traffic issues near the site. Aston noted Lehigh Valley Hospital has showed interest in the project, but the hospital has not committed itself to date.

John Wynn, a Spring Valley Village resident of Washington Township, was the chief financial officer (CFO) for the University of Pennsylvania health system for 35 years. Wynn commented that the establishment of an urgent care medical facility within Washington Township is “an ideal proposition.”

He recommended the developer of the project try to get Lehigh Valley Hospital involved in the early stages of the project so that what the hospital wants can be “designed up front in terms of space.” Aston replied he was uncertain if Lehigh Valley Hospital knew how far along the project was.

Tonya Bauer, supervisors’ chairperson, said the project seemed like “a great idea.”

No preliminary date has been set for construction to begin.

In other business, Stuart Rosenthal of Gilmore Associates, the township’s sewage engineer, reported to the board that a study of sewer connections on Route 100 and Stauffer Road conducted by his company at the request of the township was completed.

Rosenthal said it is possible for seven properties without sewer along Route 100 to be connected to sewer by a gravity flow system. However, it would require construction of a public sewer system for the properties. The cost to complete the project would include engineering fees, fees to bid the project, the cost to connect to the sewer system, and tapping fees.

Rosenthal noted it would cost each property approximately $40,000 per sewer connection. The average cost to connect to the sewer system in Washington Township is $10,000.

Despite the great disparity in the cost of the sewer connections, the board of supervisors voted to send letters to the property owners to connect to sewer within 60 days.

Supervisors voted to construct 110 feet of missing sidewalk in the Phase 1 section of the West Tract development. Township efforts to contact the developer concerning the matter have failed. The township will use financial security provided by the developer to complete the sidewalk.

A representative of the Boyertown School District came before supervisors to request the Comcast grant of $5,160 given to the township for the use of the township’s right of way by Comcast be donated to the school district.

Boyertown would use the township’s grant for school cable television programs. The Comcast grant can only be used for technical support. One resident stated she did not use Comcast and did not have children in the school district. She requested the grant be used for technical services at the township sewer plant. The board will decide the matter at its next township meeting on Feb. 28 at 7 p.m.

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