Credit: Tom Sofield/NewtownPANow.com
The Wrightstown Township Board of Supervisors approved conditional use for the adaptive reuse of the former Wrightstown Country Store, attached retail shop, and a two-bedroom apartment.
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Tom Coates, who owns nearby Transcend Fitness Club, and his wife purchased the vacant Wrightstown Country Store property at the corner of Durham Road (Route 413) and Penns Park Road late last year.
On behalf of Coates, attorney Ed Murphy said before the supervisors on Monday evening that the new owner plans to update the interior and exterior, but he intends to keep the future uses similar to the previous ones.
“The mix of tenants is not changing. The building size is not changing, the number of parking spaces is not changing. There is also a pending Zoning Hearing Board application,” Murphy said.
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The application deals with a new roof that was installed on the building, Murphy explained.
Late last year, Coates and Murphy came before the supervisors and advised them the building would be renovated and brought up to code.
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The refreshed building has pending agreements for an organic herbal supplement company, which already has a location in New Hope Borough, and a sandwich shop and deli. The shop and deli would be focused on takeout.
There were some concerns about parking, and Murphy stated that the size of the property allows for no additional spots to be added.
Supervisors Chairperson Chester Pogonowski said “the parking is the parking.”
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Continuing on the topic of parking, Murphy said Coates wants his tenants to be happy and wouldn’t allow a business that will cause parking trouble.
In speaking to the supervisors, Murphy said the community is looking forward to the site coming alive again.
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The Wrightstown Country Store was opened for years and closed in January 2020.