CRANBERRY TWP — A Japanese steakhouse is poised to occupy one of the spaces in the retail plaza that was part of the former Oak Leaf Motel site off Route 19.

Sawa Steakhouse & Sushi Bar plans to transfer an existing liquor license from a former business in the Northgate Plaza in Jackson Township to its new location in Oak Tree Place shops.

The township supervisors on Thursday reviewed the license transfer and are expected to approve it next week.

Oak Tree Place includes a 14,000 square foot strip shopping center along with a few out parcels.

The new restaurant will occupy about 6,500-square-foot in the Route 19 retail plaza.

Sawa also has a location that opened last year in the Monroeville Mall, and it operates restaurants in Ohio and New Jersey.

The new Cranberry business is projected to open in November and will join two other restaurants proposed for the new plaza, Chipotle Mexican Grill and Golden Corral, a family buffet style restaurant.

The steakhouse is expected to employ 12 to 15 full- and part-time employees.