Supervisors Approve Apartments At Former Levittown Lanes Site

The plans for the site. Credit: Falls Township

Two dozen apartments will be constructed at the site of Levittown Lanes after the project won approval Monday from the Falls Township Board of Supervisors.

The 11,875-square-foot building is proposed by longtime property owners Al and Mary Episcopo and will be constructed at 8815 New Falls Road.

Construction is expected to begin within the next three months.

The project will redevelop the property, which has been vacant since a fire destroyed the Levittown Lanes bowling alley in 2022.

“Over three years ago, we lost our whole world and my whole life,” said Michael Episcopo, son of the property owners. He added that he seeks approval to “continue my parents’ legacy to my children and to have something that I can pass to them, like what was passed to me.”

Al Episcopo, a township resident since 1962, expressed hope the complex would improve the property and the township.

“Unfortunately, we had a bad fire. Now we want to do something to improve the property and improve Falls Township,” he said. “I believe the building that we proposed is a beautiful building and I would hope everybody would agree to it.”

Attorney Michael Meginniss, who is representing the applicants, stated that reconstructing a bowling alley was financially unfeasible. He described the apartment complex as the “most appropriate and best use for this property given the strange composition.”

“The Episcopos are pouring essentially all of their savings and money into this project to make sure that they do it correctly,” Meginniss stated. “This is a site that they have owned as a family for over 50 years. It means a lot to them to make sure that the end product is something that fits into the community and the neighborhood.”

Developers said the residential use will reduce traffic compared to the former bowling alley, which operated late hours and served alcohol at its bar.

A bowl rolls at Levittown Lanes in 2015. Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com

The new development reduces impervious surface coverage by 32 percent and improves stormwater management, Meginniss said.

The plan includes 70 parking spaces for the 24 units at the site.

The project includes rerouting all traffic through Orchard Drive for improved safety, and new sidewalks will be installed along New Falls Road and Orchard Drive.

Engineer Kristen Holmes noted the current site is “almost 100 percent impervious with gravel and pavement throughout,” and the new development will provide “a vegetated perimeter essentially around all sides of this area.”

During public comment, residents voiced concerns about building height, density and traffic.

Michael Mullen, who lives on Amelia Drive with his wife, said there is a petition with over 400 signatures opposing the apartment building.

“We feel the congestion created by the addition of up to 75 residents on this small parcel immediately adjacent to us will have a negative effect on our lives and neighborhood,” Mullen said. “The building should be no higher than two stories and limited to 16 apartments.”

Following resident concerns, developers agreed to relocate the proposed dumpster from near residential properties to the parking area across Orchard Drive.

Jennifer Metzger, a Republican supervisor candidate, questioned the Episcopo family’s experience in managing residential properties and raised concerns about infrastructure capacity and pedestrian safety on New Falls Road.

“With all due respect, I’m not sure that I understand if the family’s legacy has been commercial operations, how they would be capable of running or managing a residential property, especially something like an apartment building,” she said.

Fire Marshal Rich Dippolito addressed fire safety concerns raised by how many hydrants were used to fight the multi-alarm blaze at Levittown Lanes.

The fire marshal stated that nearby hydrants functioned properly during the Levittown Lanes fire, and multiple hydrants were needed due to the blaze’s size.

“We just had to use multiple. That’s common in a fire that size,” Dippolito said

The project received recommended approval from the Falls Township Planning Commission prior to its review by the supervisors.

Most requested waivers relate to improving existing site conditions that cannot fully meet current standards due to the property’s unusual configuration, which spans multiple parcels bisected by Orchard Drive, Meginniss said.

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