Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
The plans for a Chipotle Mexican Grill and MOD Pizza in the Target shopping center has been squashed, and instead, officials have approved a Bank of America.
The Middletown Board of Supervisors approved final land development for the bank on Tuesday.
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According to officials from the Marketplace at Oxford Valley, neither restaurant had signed the lease when Bank of America came in with an offer. The bank has another location nearby in Fairless Hills.
The bank will occupy a space with underutilized parking in the Target shopping center at 2339 East Lincoln Highway and will be owned by the Marketplace at Oxford Valley, the same owners of the Staples, Guitar Center and other connected buildings adjacent to the Target.
The bank will feature a drive-thru that will occupy a new 4,550-square-foot building at the northernmost part of the center’s parking lot.
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The building developers sought four variances to move forward which included parking only five feet from the building rather than 15, smaller parking islands, and parking close to the right away. The last variance assured that fees for both preliminary and final land development applications would be paid together.
Supervisor Amy Strouse said she was skeptical to approve the plans for the bank, despite them already being approved by the Zoning Hearing Board, because variances were originally granted over the excitement of two new restaurants coming to the area. She said she hears plenty from residents that the area has enough banks.
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Township officials had approved the preliminary plans for the eateries back in May 2017 but development at the site seemed to be stalled.
In 2016, Chipotle backed out of plans for a 2,150-square-foot eatery with outdoor seating in the parking lot of Lincoln Plaza Shopping Center on East Lincoln Highway.
