LOWER SAUCON TWP., Pa. — With its Front Street family practice in Hellertown at capacity, St. Luke’s University Health Network will look to broaden its reach in the Saucon Valley with another facility in a nearby township.
Hospital officials on Thursday presented a sketch plan to Lower Saucon Township Planning Commission for a 30,000-square-foot medical building across from the Giant on Leithsville Road.
The sketch plan's designs aren't fully engineered, and nothing's yet set in stone, officials said.
“St. Luke’s is interested in constructing this building in Lower Saucon Township, providing great access to care."St. Luke's Vice President of Real Estate Mary Jane McKeever
St. Luke’s Senior Vice President of Real Estate Mary Jane McKeever said she and her team have worked with the land's current owner, Dennis Benner, for some time on acquiring the 1865 Leithsville Road property.
That land has Leithsville Road to the west, Mount Pleasant Road to the southeast and Springtown Hill Road to the northeast.
“St. Luke’s is interested in constructing this building in Lower Saucon Township, providing great access to care,” McKeever said.
“We love this parcel. We think it’s great in terms of being across from the Giant supermarket, at a signalized intersection.”
30,000 square feet across 3 levels
While the building’s planned use would be allowed under township ordinance, St. Luke’s attorney Steven Boell said his client would seek zoning variances regarding the surrounding woodlands and steep slope area.
Scott Pasterski, project manager with Keystone Consulting Engineers, said developers want to consolidate the three tracts that currently make up the lot within the General Business District. The combined space as a result would total 6.11 acres.
That 30,000 square feet of proposed medical office space would come with two 15,000-square-foot levels along with ground-level parking, Pasterski said.
About 30 parking spaces of the proposed 150 would be under the building, according to the plan.
The project application lists a “high-volume” driveway would mirror the nearby shopping center driveway, and it could lead to a future connection to Springtown Hill Road.
A traffic impact study has yet to be completed, but estimates show 1,000 trips per day could come along with the project, Pasterski said.
He said a crosswalk with appropriate signage also is proposed, and would follow state Transportation Department specifications.
'A benefit for the people'
Local resident and nearby lot owner Craig Hay said the project would provide a “valuable service” to the area and be aesthetically pleasing, so officials should highly consider approving it.
He also said the nearby woodlands needed to be preserved as much as possible.
“It’s a much better idea than bringing a warehouse or a strip mall,” Hay said. “The warehouse gives you truck traffic.
“I’d rather have the cars, and it’s during business hours. … A strip mall, we need another one of them like we need a hole in the head.”
"A strip mall, we need another one of them like we need a hole in the head.”Nearby lot owner Craig Hay, speaking in support of the new medical office building
Victoria Opthof-Cordaro, township council liaison to the Planning Commission, read a message sent to her from resident Nanette Keck:
“I sold part of my property across from Giant,” Keck wrote. “I wanted to say I am very proud to have a medical building on the property, and will be continuing to live next to it.
“I do understand that they do not pay taxes, but I truly believe this building will be a benefit for the people of Lower Saucon and surrounding area. We don’t need another pizza place or bar.”
