I-279 spurs growth, development
In the early 1980s, a decision was made to build an expressway from Pittsburgh to connect with Interstate 79 in the North Hills.
Later that decade, Interstate 279 opened, and it immediately became the gateway to the north.
Southern Butler County was transformed from being a spectator in the revival of Pittsburgh to a contributor. Suddenly, the commute to downtown Pittsburgh and all it had to offer — work, shopping, recreation, sporting and cultural events — was reduced to 30 minutes.
The convergence of I-79 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike made travel north, south, east and west easily accessible. Available land, low taxes and managed development has made the area not only a great place to live and work, but has also created the perfect climate for business development.
The convenience to one of America's Most Livable Cities spurred an economic growth in Cranberry Township, which now ranks among the top of Pennsylvania communities.
Since 1990, the population of Cranberry has more than doubled. In 2014, there were 30,149 residents.
Similar increases have been reported in neighboring communities. For instance, in the 10 years following the 2000 census, Adams Township's population grew from 6,774 to 11,600. More and more people are discovering the excellent quality of life that the area offers.
Residential expansion has kept pace with the growth in population, impacting both the education systems and the spiritual communities.
There are 169 developments in Cranberry and Adams. According to West Penn Multi-list, the average home price in the area is $319,916, up 16 percent from 2010. The average time on the market during that same period has decreased from 64 days to 34 days.
Steve Carpenter of Northwood Realty states, “If a home has been maintained properly, the seller can expect to sell quickly and averages 97.5 percent of the asking price.”
Not in the market to own? Demand for rental properties also has increased, making it easier for large corporations to attract young talent.
Several new apartment complexes have been built, which provide luxurious amenities. Rochester Village, Park Place, Chatham Commons and The Haven have added 644 units in the past three years.
The Haven had 55 percent of its 292 apartments rented by the time of its grand opening ribbon cutting. Several other complexes offer a diverse group of apartments ranging from $950 to $2,500 a month in rent.
Education also has been impacted by the growth in the area.
The Seneca Valley School District continues to be one of the largest districts in the state. According to an online report, Mars High School's enrollment has increased 10 percent over the past five years.
Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic High School has moved into the area with a state-of-the-art educational facility. St. Kilian's Parish Grade School was founded in 2007 and has become the largest Catholic grade school in the Pittsburgh area.
Growth also is documented among the spiritual community. Three of the largest congregations have experienced rapid growth.The two Catholic parishes in the area, St. Kilian's and St. Ferdinand's, each have more than 12,000 parishioners and host over 3,000 people at their weekend services.Victory Family Church with a nondenominational affiliation moved to its new location in 2006. By 2013, it added on to its church, roughly doubling the size of the building. It averages more than 2,800 attendees at its weekly services.Businesses have taken notice, allowing residents to work within minutes of home.Anchored by Westinghouse Electric's world headquarters, Cranberry and Adams townships together have more than 3,200 businesses. Numbers published by Cranberry Township indicate that in 2014 it had 23,700 jobs. By 2030, it is projected there will be 32,000.The unemployment rate hovers around 3 percent, while the national rate is 5 percent. One of the biggest challenges businesses face is finding employees to fill those jobs.All of this has spurred an abundance of development.The UPMC Lemieux Complex in Cranberry Springs opened in August of 2015 as a world class sports-medicine complex and practice/training facility for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Want to get up close and personal with the team? Take off a morning and go watch them practice.It also provides Cranberry Township and the surrounding area with the opportunity to become a hub for hockey in the eastern United States. In conjunction with other resources, plans are in the works to bring national and international competition to the area.As more and more entertainment options present themselves, the travel and tourism industry has also boomed. In the past eight years, the number of hotel rooms has increased by 86 percent.Currently, there are 863 rooms available with four new hotels either under construction or in the planning approval stage. Add to that more than 70 restaurants, and you can see the area is poised to handle an influx of visitors.
Land development hasn't slowed down.Cranberry Springs has an additional 90 acres that is being developed. Cranberry Woods, with more than 1.8 million square feet of office, hotel, restaurant, retail and residential space has an additional 25 acres under construction. Numerous other projects are also in the works.With all this expansion, traffic management becomes a challenge. Anyone who has been on Route 228 in the late afternoon can testify to that.Cranberry Township has upgraded traffic signals at 43 intersections with a central based operation that monitors traffic and adjusts the timing of the lights to improve flow. Plenty more improvements are planned.Roundabouts are being installed for numerous intersections. A tunnel will be built under Route 228 to connect Cranberry Woods with Cranberry Springs.Road widening projects are in the works for Route 228, Rochester Road and Freedom Road, to mention a few.With the growth, Cranberry Township has taken the opportunity to invest in the improvement of its infrastructure. In the past 25 years, it has leveraged $56 million in transportation impact fees. That money has gone to road improvements.While smart planning and preparation has prepared the region for growth, one of the most appealing parts of the community is the hard work and dedication of the residents who give back.For instance, the Cranberry Township Community Chest supports nonprofit and civic organizations and encourages them to provide community programs and projects. Last year's project, the Firefighter Initiative, raised more than $400,000 for firefighter recruitment and training. This year's project is to replace the turf at the Miracle Field where special needs children play baseball.The Cranberry CUP is another example of the Cranberry residents giving back. Since 2000, through softball tournaments, golf outings and 5K races, the CUP has brought neighborhoods together to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for families in need.Accessibility, planning and a sense of community all contribute to the popularity of the area. Residents enjoy a high quality of life.Now work, shopping, recreation, sporting and cultural events are not only accessible, but part of the community. The future holds great promise.
