HERMITAGE, PA. Wal-Mart and plaza proposal revised

Cedarwood Development Inc. wants to break ground in May.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
HERMITAGE, Pa. -- An Akron-based developer has proposed a new plan for a Wal-Mart Supercenter on Pa. Route 18 that will include a small strip plaza for retail shops and three free-standing restaurants.
The entire package, along with about 1,700 parking spaces, would occupy about 45 acres on the west side of Route 18 (North Hermitage Road) between the Shenango Valley YMCA, 925 N. Hermitage Road, and Stupka Motors, 1435 N. Hermitage Road.
Kevin Fallon of Cedarwood Development Inc., Akron, presented a preliminary version of the revised plan Monday to the Hermitage Planning Commission.
Development details
The development's key focus would be a stand-alone 212,000-square-foot Wal-Mart Supercenter. Just to the south would be a smaller, 69,000-square-foot strip plaza housing as many as seven unnamed stores.
Both the Supercenter and the strip plaza would be set back in the lot, while three restaurants, identified on the plan drawing as Golden Corral, Ruby Tuesday and Steak & amp; Shake, would be at the front of the parcel along Route 18.
Fallon told the commission his company hopes to break ground on the project, dubbed Hermitage Crossing, in May. It will take about a year to complete.
The proposal for a Wal-Mart Supercenter first surfaced in March when Cedarwood showed the city a plan featuring the Supercenter and six parcels that would house small retail stores or restaurants.
A problem with wetlands on the site forced the company back to the drawing board. Those issues appear to have been addressed by moving the Supercenter farther away from Pine Hollow Run at the back of the property, said Marcia Hirschmann, city director of planning and zoning.
Other locations
Wal-Mart already has Supercenters in Greenville about 20 miles north and in Lawrence County near New Castle 20 miles to the south.
It also has two regular stores in Mercer County, one near Grove City and the other about 1.5 miles south of the proposed Supercenter.
That one would be closed, and Hirschmann said Fallon told the commission that Wal-Mart has a buyer for it, pending the completion of the Supercenter project.
Numerous questions about the project remain, Hirschmann said, noting that commission members want more information on the Supercenter construction, indicating they would favor a brick, rather than a block, building.
There are also issues regarding highway access, she said.
The plan shows three access points to the site along Route 18, one of them with a traffic light where none exists now.
The city and developer need to meet with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation on those matters. Fallon indicated he would get back to the commission with more detail on the construction materials, Hirschmann said.
The developer also may seek zoning variances regarding landscaping and parking lot requirements, she added.
gwin@vindy.com