HERMITAGE, PA. Developer revises plan for Wal-Mart Supercenter

A July groundbreaking was delayed because of a wetlands problem.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
HERMITAGE, Pa. -- The plans aren't final yet but city officials said the developer proposing to bring a Wal-Mart Supercenter to Pa. Route 18 here also has plans for a TJ Maxx clothing store and a TGI Friday's restaurant in the complex.
That's what showed up in a preliminary, unofficial plan presented recently to the city, said Marcia Hirschmann, city director of planning and zoning.
The proposal for a Wal-Mart Supercenter first surfaced in March and the developer showed about six outparcels in front of the proposed 207,000-square-foot department store. Those outparcels usually house smaller retail businesses and restaurants.
That plan hit a snag, however, when the developer learned the proposed 20-acre site had a number of wetlands scattered across it, necessitating a redrawing of development plans.
The developer had originally planned for a July groundbreaking, but the wetlands problem has pushed that back. It would be difficult to even break ground by the end of this year, Hirschmann said.
State and federal law prohibit the disturbance of wetlands for any purpose.
Revised plan
Hirschmann said a revised, unofficial plan was recently delivered to the city showing a reconfiguration of the project site with only three outparcels. TJ Maxx and Friday's occupy two of them, she said.
She had no timetable for presentation of a formal development plan.
Wal-Mart already has two Supercenters in the region, one about 20 miles north, near Greenville, and another about 20 miles south, near New Castle.
The company also has two of its regular stores in Mercer County, one near Grove City and one in Hermitage, just 1.5 miles from the proposed new Supercenter.
Hirschmann said the developer indicated that store would be closed and the company would try to sell it.