Growth Spurt
JACKSON TWP — The township is continuing to grow with several construction projects getting under way as well as work on road improvements.
These include: a new FedEx Ground distribution center, continued development at Jackson's Pointe, a new gas station, and residential growth. The township has also instituted traffic impact fees that will help pay for roads improvements.
FedEx center
Sixty acres on Tomlinson Drive owned by Sippel Development will be the site of a new FedEx Ground distribution center.
The property houses the excavation company's headquarters, which will be moved.
The 300,000-square-foot center was approved last year by the township supervisors.
The center will coordinate work with a facility on Neville Island, Allegheny County, allowing the delivery company to meet customer demands in the Pittsburgh area, said David Westrick, FedEx Ground public relations.
There are numerous advantages to the Jackson location. “The site was chosen because of its ease of access to major highways, proximity to customers' distribution centers and a strong local community workforce for recruiting employees,” he said.
Construction will begin in the spring and the facility is expected to be completed in August 2016.
It will start with 200 full-time and part-time employees and will add workers as needed. The plans indicate the facility will be able to accommodate up to 550 employees.
Since 2005, FedEx has opened 11 hubs and expanded or relocated more than 500 facilities in the United States to boost daily package volume capacity and improve speed and service capabilities.
The Jackson center will be a station serving the package pickup and delivery needs of area customers. The nearest FedEx Ground hubs are in Harrisburg and Columbus, Ohio.
The center will be 305,000 square feet and will have a 642-space parking lot. The developer will pay to extend Tomlinson Drive further onto the property to get that paved road up to township standards.
In conjunction with that project, two roads will be moved to form a four-way intersection to handle a higher volume of traffic.Tomlinson Drive and Jo Deener Road, which both intersect with Route 528 near where the facility will be built, will be relocated and controlled by a new stoplight.The township received a $1.5 million grant last year from the state Department of Transportation to assist with the cost of that project, which is expected to start this year and be completed in 2016.Jackson's PointeThe Jackson's Pointe Development surrounding the intersection of Route 528 and Route 19 also will continue to grow.The Buncher Co., which owns and develops the land, is planning changes to two intersections that will improve traffic flow.Costs of these off-site improvements are covered by the Buncher Co. that files the paperwork with PennDOT and hires the contractors, said Brian Goetz, Buncher executive vice president.This spring, work will begin to connect a new road that will extend Route 528 west and transform the junction of Route 19 and Route 528 into a four-way intersection. The existing roads also will be widened to add several turn lanes for traffic using Interstate 79 interchange.There also will be a new access road onto the property that will intersect with Zehner School Road, and plans call for a new stoplight to be installed at the intersection of Zehner School Road and Route 19.At least two new buildings are expected to be built this year: a final building of Phase I and a Speedway gas station and convenience store.More phases plannedPhase II includes 11 sites on 45 acres that could include retail, offices, distribution or a restaurant.Phases III and IV involve developing about 80 acres on the east side of Route 19. Phase III would include an access road at the intersection of Zehner School Road and Route 19, which is to get a stoplight after the relocation of Zehner School Road.Phase IV is planned north of Route 528 with access at the intersection of Route 19 and Jackson's Pointe Court, which has already has a stoplight.Goetz said the Buncher Co. is talking with several companies interested in becoming tenants in Phase II.“We are also working with several other clients for Phase II, and if we can finalize our agreements, construction can begin in 2015,” he said.Phase I has three buildings occupied by UPS, chemical manufacturer LabChem, Red Bull and Highmark-affiliate Provider PPI. Construction of a fourth building, to be connected to one of the finished buildings, is planned to start in late spring or early summer.In 2014, the Buncher Co. sold some land originally intended to be part of its Phase II to Speedway where the new gas station is proposed. Construction is expected to begin this spring and will be completed in 90 days, said Rusty Young of Speedway, which is part of Marathon Petroleum.The station will include a convenience store and 20 fuel pumps and employ 30 to 40 people, Young said.Other developmentsIn addition to new jobs in the township, there will be more people living there, too.Three housing developments on Tollgate School Road have been proposed and are in different phases of construction. The total number of units is 245.The township also has taken steps to plan for the expected increased traffic on its roads.One step was to pass an ordinance instituting traffic impact fees for development plans. Developments that will increase traffic in two designated transportation service areas now will be required to pay a fee. That revenue will help pay for infrastructure improvements.Sippel Development will be the first developer to pay a traffic impact fee. It will be charged $442,000, which will be applied to a local match for the state grant to improve the intersection of Tomlinson Drive and Route 528, according to Chris Rearick, township manager.In 2014, the township was awarded a $1.5 million grant by PennDOT that can potentially advance improvements for Route 19 and Little Creek, Mercer, Wise and Fanker roads.Among improvements are realigning Wise and Fanker roads to form a four-way intersection with Route 19 and installing a traffic light at the intersection of Route 19 and Little Creek Road.
The Jackson's Pointe Development surrounding the intersection of Route 528 and Route 19 also will continue to grow.The Buncher Co., which owns and develops the land, is planning changes to two intersections that will improve traffic flow.Costs of these off-site improvements are covered by the Buncher Co. that files the paperwork with PennDOT and hires the contractors, said Brian Goetz, Buncher executive vice president.This spring, work will begin to connect a new road that will extend Route 528 west and transform the junction of Route 19 and Route 528 into a four-way intersection. The existing roads also will be widened to add several turn lanes for traffic using Interstate 79 interchange.There also will be a new access road onto the property that will intersect with Zehner School Road, and plans call for a new stoplight to be installed at the intersection of Zehner School Road and Route 19.At least two new buildings are expected to be built this year: a final building of Phase I and a Speedway gas station and convenience store.More phases plannedPhase II includes 11 sites on 45 acres that could include retail, offices, distribution or a restaurant.Phases III and IV involve developing about 80 acres on the east side of Route 19. Phase III would include an access road at the intersection of Zehner School Road and Route 19, which is to get a stoplight after the relocation of Zehner School Road.Phase IV is planned north of Route 528 with access at the intersection of Route 19 and Jackson's Pointe Court, which has already has a stoplight.Goetz said the Buncher Co. is talking with several companies interested in becoming tenants in Phase II.“We are also working with several other clients for Phase II, and if we can finalize our agreements, construction can begin in 2015,” he said.Phase I has three buildings occupied by UPS, chemical manufacturer LabChem, Red Bull and Highmark-affiliate Provider PPI. Construction of a fourth building, to be connected to one of the finished buildings, is planned to start in late spring or early summer.In 2014, the Buncher Co. sold some land originally intended to be part of its Phase II to Speedway where the new gas station is proposed. Construction is expected to begin this spring and will be completed in 90 days, said Rusty Young of Speedway, which is part of Marathon Petroleum.The station will include a convenience store and 20 fuel pumps and employ 30 to 40 people, Young said.Other developmentsIn addition to new jobs in the township, there will be more people living there, too.Three housing developments on Tollgate School Road have been proposed and are in different phases of construction. The total number of units is 245.The township also has taken steps to plan for the expected increased traffic on its roads.One step was to pass an ordinance instituting traffic impact fees for development plans. Developments that will increase traffic in two designated transportation service areas now will be required to pay a fee. That revenue will help pay for infrastructure improvements.Sippel Development will be the first developer to pay a traffic impact fee. It will be charged $442,000, which will be applied to a local match for the state grant to improve the intersection of Tomlinson Drive and Route 528, according to Chris Rearick, township manager.In 2014, the township was awarded a $1.5 million grant by PennDOT that can potentially advance improvements for Route 19 and Little Creek, Mercer, Wise and Fanker roads.Among improvements are realigning Wise and Fanker roads to form a four-way intersection with Route 19 and installing a traffic light at the intersection of Route 19 and Little Creek Road.
Phase II includes 11 sites on 45 acres that could include retail, offices, distribution or a restaurant.Phases III and IV involve developing about 80 acres on the east side of Route 19. Phase III would include an access road at the intersection of Zehner School Road and Route 19, which is to get a stoplight after the relocation of Zehner School Road.Phase IV is planned north of Route 528 with access at the intersection of Route 19 and Jackson's Pointe Court, which has already has a stoplight.Goetz said the Buncher Co. is talking with several companies interested in becoming tenants in Phase II.“We are also working with several other clients for Phase II, and if we can finalize our agreements, construction can begin in 2015,” he said.Phase I has three buildings occupied by UPS, chemical manufacturer LabChem, Red Bull and Highmark-affiliate Provider PPI. Construction of a fourth building, to be connected to one of the finished buildings, is planned to start in late spring or early summer.In 2014, the Buncher Co. sold some land originally intended to be part of its Phase II to Speedway where the new gas station is proposed. Construction is expected to begin this spring and will be completed in 90 days, said Rusty Young of Speedway, which is part of Marathon Petroleum.The station will include a convenience store and 20 fuel pumps and employ 30 to 40 people, Young said.
In addition to new jobs in the township, there will be more people living there, too.Three housing developments on Tollgate School Road have been proposed and are in different phases of construction. The total number of units is 245.The township also has taken steps to plan for the expected increased traffic on its roads.One step was to pass an ordinance instituting traffic impact fees for development plans. Developments that will increase traffic in two designated transportation service areas now will be required to pay a fee. That revenue will help pay for infrastructure improvements.Sippel Development will be the first developer to pay a traffic impact fee. It will be charged $442,000, which will be applied to a local match for the state grant to improve the intersection of Tomlinson Drive and Route 528, according to Chris Rearick, township manager.In 2014, the township was awarded a $1.5 million grant by PennDOT that can potentially advance improvements for Route 19 and Little Creek, Mercer, Wise and Fanker roads.Among improvements are realigning Wise and Fanker roads to form a four-way intersection with Route 19 and installing a traffic light at the intersection of Route 19 and Little Creek Road.
