Development in Cranberry Township is nothing new but ground was officially broken Friday morning on a massive project that officials say is different than anything the township currently has.
The vast former Meeder Farm, which sits at the corner of Route 19 and Rochester Road, is being transformed into a mixed-use development of homes, apartments, retail, offices and parks- with a focus on pedestrian walkways and walkability.
“For the past five years, we’ve been working on aligning Mrs. Meeder’s vision for her longtime family farm with the vision of the township’s long-term comprehensive plan,” Richard Hadley, chairman of the Cranberry Township Board of Supervisors, said during the ceremony.
Hadley said the township initially saw the site becoming a primarily commercial development, but that has since changed. The property will now focus on development on a human scale, he said.
“We’ve been trying for more than a decade to encourage development of traditional neighborhoods that are walkable- with a variety of housing types- combined with shops, parks and public places,” Hadley said. “Getting there has been a real challenge.”
But then Charter Homes presented the township board with a proposal that did just that. The company focuses on creating what they call “The Great American Neighborhood,” which focuses on re-imagining the suburbs. The company has created similar-like concepts in western and central Pennsylvania- the closest to Butler County being in South Fayette.
The Meeder Family’s wishes for the future of their property was considered in the design, according to Charter Homes Founder Rob Bowman. The family’s signature red barn and homestead will be preserved as an integral part of the project.
“The development really honors our heritage- it redefines commerce- it’s wonderfully walkable,” Hadley said.
There will be significant improvements made to Rochester and Unionville roads to accommodate the new development, according to township officials. A traffic light and more lanes will be added- with the goal of making it easy to walk from the Meeder property across the street to the Cranberry Township Municipal Center.
Home construction will start in May. More than 600 housing units are planned, which include single-family, carriage, townhomes and apartments.
Different stages of the multi-phase construction project are expected to take place over the next six to seven years.
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