Luxury Apartment, Retail Complex Planned for Cetronia Road

The developer of a proposed 450-unit gated, luxury apartment and retail complex on Cetronia Road told South Whitehall Township officials Thursday night they plan to add $2 million in road improvements.

KRE, of Bridgewater, N.J., discussed its plans at its second public presentation to develop a 40-acre tract of farmland it purchased next to St. Luke's West End Health Center on Cetronia Road and Route 309.

Several garages would be built on the development's south side near Schantz Road in Upper Macungie.

In February, Patch wrote about KRE's plans to build the upscale four-story apartment complex of one- and two-bedroom apartments that a company official said would rent for $1,300 to $1,600.

The design includes a clubhouse, private road, 30,000- to 40,000-square-feet of retail space that could house a grocery story, and two retail stores or restaurants.

Thomas Gough, director of construction and development at KRE, said previously they were considering a high-end grocery store, such as Whole Foods. On Thursday, he said the company was considering a ShopRite. 

The complex would be designed for walkability and include sidewalks that connect it to the retail center and nearby medical centers at Integrated Health Campus across the street and St. Luke's West End Medical Center next door.

Each of the 45-unit apartment buildings would have elevators, which Gough said would be attractive to an elderly clientele.

Commission Chairman Alan Tope said he was concerned the plan had only one emergency road access, which would be next to St. Luke's.

"I'm still kind of uneasy seeing one major exit for a project this size," Tope said. 

"I wonder if you could get a second entrance or exit to the apartments. I realize the slope of the land is quite difficult," he said.

Gough said KRE planned to buy three homes on Cetronia Road near Broadway and demolish one of them so it could widen the road at the intersection. P.J. Whelihan's plans to rebuild its restaurant at the corner.

KRE is building a similar project called Madison Farms in Bethlehem Township across from St. Luke's Anderson campus.

KRE recently completed Parkland View apartments across from Jaindl Elementary School in Upper Macungie.

The latest project would be built on land owned by the Bortz family.