BET Investments has submitted an updated proposal for a significant residential development in Newtown Township.
The proposed Newtown Place residential development seeks to redevelop the 3.9-acre site currently occupied by The Corners at Newtown Place business center at South Sycamore Street, Richboro Road, and Cambridge Lane. The shopping center would remain.
The proposal looks to transform the streetscape with a new apartment complex and parking facilities.
The revised plans propose the construction of 120 apartments and a 300-foot long streetscape, which the developer believes will fit into the existing area. Additionally, the proposal includes a central parking garage that would not be visible from the street.
Last week, the Newtown Township Planning Commission reviewed the updated proposal.
Members expressed concerns that the plan’s density is too much for the site.
The commission recommended allocating two parking spaces per unit, an increase from the 1.5 spaces previously proposed.
BET Investments, which already owns the property, will not seek zoning variances.
Instead, the developer plans to request the Newtown Township Board of Supervisors consider a zoning amendment that would permit the construction of the proposed complex within the Town Commercial zoning district.
The developer has proposed adding a “Parking Core Apartment Building” to acceptable uses.
“A building where individual apartments surround a central parking garage to feature a walkable oriented streetscape in keeping with a traditional village. Each apartment unit has direct access to the outside or to a common hall and each unit is designed for and occupied by a single family,” the proposal states.
Due to the collaborative nature of the Newtown Area Zoning Jointure — comprising Newtown Township, Upper Makefield Township, and Wrightstown Township — unanimous approval from all three municipalities is required.
Credit: Chris English/NewtownPANow.com
During a recent meeting with the Board of Supervisors, Planning Commission Chairperson Peggy Driscoll outlined several suggestions she had for the project.
The conditions include a reduction in the building’s height, a comprehensive traffic study be completed, a look at infrastructure, increased parking, and the exploration of garden-style buildings.
Originally, BET Investments considered a 160-unit project but scaled back to 120 units in response to township feedback. The latest revision maintains the 120-unit count but includes significant modifications to the design.
The Newtown Township Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors are expected to review the proposal in detail at a future meeting.
