One by one, vacant plots of land that dot the Route 19 corridor just over the Marshall line from Pine are giving way to residential and commercial projects.
Along the roughly 1.2-mile stretch of Route 19 between Gateway Avenue and the Interstate 79 overpass, several projects are in various stages of development, township officials said.
“Much of the prime real estate to the north in Cranberry and to the south in Pine has been developed,” said township manager Neil McFadden. “I think our section of the Route 19 corridor has taken a little longer to develop because it's a divided highway, which retail developers tend to shy away from because it essentially cuts out 50 percent of the traffic to the shops.”
The varied topography along Route 19, which includes hillsides, flat land and some low-lying areas that are prone to flooding, also has been an impediment to development, McFadden said.
But the scarcity of developable property and that section of Marshall's close proximity to I-79 and the Turnpike is erasing many concerns developers may once have had.
“Until recently, our residents have been quite content to travel north or south to shop,” he said. “But we're growing, so we're starting to attract more retail to service our population.”
Marshall's population in 2010 was about 6,900 people, according to the U.S. Census. McFadden said Marshall now has more than 7,500 residents.
Jeff Burd of Tall Timber Group, which conducts real estate market research, agrees with McFadden's assessment of why much of Route 19 in Marshall wasn't previously developed.
“Developers want land that is dead flat and easily developed,” he said. “But as time goes on and those types of properties become harder to find, they will be willing to take on whatever obstacles exist because of the payoff.”
Burd said one of the main drivers in the commercial development occurring in the Route 19 corridor in Marshall is the significant amount of homes under construction or in the planning stages.
Projects include Fairmont Square, a 96-unit townhouse project that will include 21,000 square feet of retail space. It is under construction on the northbound side of Route 19. Plans also are in the works for a 146-unit independent living/personal care facility called The Waters Senior Living, which has been approved on an adjacent property.
Other projects on tap in the Route 19 corridor include:
• A pair of three-story, 30,000-square-foot office buildings called the Pinewood Corporate Center, which received approval. Plans are in the works for a separate building that will house an Enterprise Car Rental facility.
• Marshall Crossing, a 16,000-square-foot retail center along southbound Route 19, which is near completion and beginning to lease space.
• Marshall Village, a 13,000-square-foot retail complex planned along northbound Route 19.
• Plans also are in the works for a Bentley Motors dealership to be built along southbound Route 19 adjacent to the Lexus, Volvo, Jaguar and Land Rover dealers.
There also are several properties, including some with homes, that are up for sale. Because the area carries a “town center” zoning designation, market forces may eventually result in those homes being converted for commercial use, McFadden said.
Plans for a 125-unit housing development along northbound Route 19 called the Park at Marshall eventually will reconnect Northgate Drive — long considered Marshall's “main street” — with Route 19.
“That is an important connection for us because we will be focusing on making improvements in that area during the next several years,” McFadden said. “I think it will be unrecognizable in five years.”
Plans call for repaving the road this year and installing sidewalks, curbs and off-street parking as part of the township's streetscape program.
Officials envision Northgate becoming a retail hub that caters to residents with specialty shops, restaurants and other businesses.
“The way we've seen it work is that as streetscape improvements are done, the value of properties increase,” said Nicole Zimsky, the township's planning director. “As property values rise, they become more desirable. I think the current property owners will eventually realize that it may be more valuable for them to sell or change the use for their property.”
As properties change hands and move to higher-value uses, there typically is a domino effect in which surrounding property owners make improvements that increase the values of their properties, Zimsky said.
While the commercial growth spurt Marshall is undergoing will be a boon to the tax base, it is unlikely to change the municipality's approach to doing business.
“When I was hired here 30 years ago, the message to me was we want controlled growth,” McFadden said. “We're glad to have development, but it's got to be done right. So we've put strong, well-written rules in place and enforce them.”
Resource: http://triblive.com/
Along the roughly 1.2-mile stretch of Route 19 between Gateway Avenue and the Interstate 79 overpass, several projects are in various stages of development, township officials said.
“Much of the prime real estate to the north in Cranberry and to the south in Pine has been developed,” said township manager Neil McFadden. “I think our section of the Route 19 corridor has taken a little longer to develop because it's a divided highway, which retail developers tend to shy away from because it essentially cuts out 50 percent of the traffic to the shops.”
The varied topography along Route 19, which includes hillsides, flat land and some low-lying areas that are prone to flooding, also has been an impediment to development, McFadden said.
But the scarcity of developable property and that section of Marshall's close proximity to I-79 and the Turnpike is erasing many concerns developers may once have had.
“Until recently, our residents have been quite content to travel north or south to shop,” he said. “But we're growing, so we're starting to attract more retail to service our population.”
Marshall's population in 2010 was about 6,900 people, according to the U.S. Census. McFadden said Marshall now has more than 7,500 residents.
Jeff Burd of Tall Timber Group, which conducts real estate market research, agrees with McFadden's assessment of why much of Route 19 in Marshall wasn't previously developed.
“Developers want land that is dead flat and easily developed,” he said. “But as time goes on and those types of properties become harder to find, they will be willing to take on whatever obstacles exist because of the payoff.”
Burd said one of the main drivers in the commercial development occurring in the Route 19 corridor in Marshall is the significant amount of homes under construction or in the planning stages.
Projects include Fairmont Square, a 96-unit townhouse project that will include 21,000 square feet of retail space. It is under construction on the northbound side of Route 19. Plans also are in the works for a 146-unit independent living/personal care facility called The Waters Senior Living, which has been approved on an adjacent property.
Other projects on tap in the Route 19 corridor include:
• A pair of three-story, 30,000-square-foot office buildings called the Pinewood Corporate Center, which received approval. Plans are in the works for a separate building that will house an Enterprise Car Rental facility.
• Marshall Crossing, a 16,000-square-foot retail center along southbound Route 19, which is near completion and beginning to lease space.
• Marshall Village, a 13,000-square-foot retail complex planned along northbound Route 19.
• Plans also are in the works for a Bentley Motors dealership to be built along southbound Route 19 adjacent to the Lexus, Volvo, Jaguar and Land Rover dealers.
There also are several properties, including some with homes, that are up for sale. Because the area carries a “town center” zoning designation, market forces may eventually result in those homes being converted for commercial use, McFadden said.
Plans for a 125-unit housing development along northbound Route 19 called the Park at Marshall eventually will reconnect Northgate Drive — long considered Marshall's “main street” — with Route 19.
“That is an important connection for us because we will be focusing on making improvements in that area during the next several years,” McFadden said. “I think it will be unrecognizable in five years.”
Plans call for repaving the road this year and installing sidewalks, curbs and off-street parking as part of the township's streetscape program.
Officials envision Northgate becoming a retail hub that caters to residents with specialty shops, restaurants and other businesses.
“The way we've seen it work is that as streetscape improvements are done, the value of properties increase,” said Nicole Zimsky, the township's planning director. “As property values rise, they become more desirable. I think the current property owners will eventually realize that it may be more valuable for them to sell or change the use for their property.”
As properties change hands and move to higher-value uses, there typically is a domino effect in which surrounding property owners make improvements that increase the values of their properties, Zimsky said.
While the commercial growth spurt Marshall is undergoing will be a boon to the tax base, it is unlikely to change the municipality's approach to doing business.
“When I was hired here 30 years ago, the message to me was we want controlled growth,” McFadden said. “We're glad to have development, but it's got to be done right. So we've put strong, well-written rules in place and enforce them.”
Resource: http://triblive.com/
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