Hotel, Commercial Strip Planned Near Turnpike

A developer hoping to build a commercial strip, including a hotel, near the Pennsylvania Turnpike entrance of Tilghman Street, will be bringing his plans to the South Whitehall Township Planning Commission this week.

Though most of the proposed project lies within Upper Macungie Township, South Whitehall planners must sign off on a new signalized traffic intersection and 80 feet of new road leading into the development.

The development area extends from 5000 Tilghman St. to 5170 Tilghman St. on 47 acres, less than 10 of which are in South Whitehall. Somerset Properties of Montgomery County plans to re-subdivide the land into six parcels and only a portion of one will be in South Whitehall.

Last month, developers presented a sketch plan to the Upper Macungie Planning Commission that called for a restaurant, a fitness center, a grocery store, a strip mall and a convenience store/gas station, in addition to a hotel, according to The Morning Call.

Somerset Properties is asking South Whitehall planners to do a similar sketch plan review.

The commission is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. Thursday and will also be looking at a preliminary plan to build eight single-family luxury homes near the township’s eastern border with Allentown.