Forks Township supervisors approve fast-food restaurant, office building and bank

Forks Township supervisors approved plans tonight for a fast-food restaurant, office building and bank.

Developer B. Land Co. will build a 3,900-square-foot restaurant with a drive-thru along with a two-story, 20,000-square-foot medical office building and a 2,900-square-foot bank on Sullivan Trail at Rensselaer Avenue.

The three freestanding buildings will share a parking lot in the area now occupied by Pitchforks Nursery and Palermo Pizzeria off Sullivan Trail.

Dennis Benner, who owns B. Land, said he has no tenants lined up but doesn’t think he will have any trouble securing them.

“It all comes down to location, location, location,” Benner said. “And this is it.”

Benner said he chose Forks for the project because of its growing population, ease of access and new and modern facilities. He said patrons can expect the fast-food eatery to be open by mid-2015.

“That’s safe to say,” Benner said. He hopes to start construction by September.

“We want to go as soon as possible,” Benner said.

Supervisor Erik Chuss said an underground detention pond constructed by B. Land will satisfy drainage concerns.

The plan for the fast-food eatery comes on the heels of a separate proposal to build a McDonald's restaurant off Town Center Boulevard near Sullivan Trail. That project generated 400 signatures in an online petition opposing the plan. Neighbors cited noise, odor and litter concerns.

While McDonald's gained conditional use approval for the drive-thru, plans are still awaiting preliminary and final approvals, Chuss said.

Amphitheater plans

Supervisors tonight approved a maintenance agreement with Bethlehem-based Signature Structures LLC to assess minor problems on the township amphitheater and repair them before they get worse. The one-year contract cost the township $9,750.

Under the contract, the company will make three separate annual inspections to the theater near the community center.

The township decided to forgo a free, three-year warranty offered in December by New York-based Fourmen Construction, who oversaw the project. The deal was offered after shoddy work led to water soaking behind the concrete, cracking and popping it off in some sections. About three of the four canvas panels were ripped and patched.

Chuss said the maintenance plan will preserve the estimated $350,000 investment from further damages.

"I think it’s a good step in the right direction … to make sure this investment is protected and money well spent," he said. "I'm glad we’re going forward with it."

Source: LehighValleyLive