NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP – The steel skeleton of the Promenade
continues to take shape, rising above the intersection of Sycamore and Jefferson
streets.
In the not too distant future, the site will be alive
with activity, bringing new stores and living spaces to the street and taking a
huge step forward in fulfilling the township’s vision of Sycamore as a walkable
downtown destination street for the township.
In the meantime, the sound of riveting fills the air as
construction workers, perched precariously atop the steel rails, busily
transform the site into the Promenade.
Built on the site of the former Acme, which served
Newtown’s grocery shopping needs for years, the Promenade will feature two new
buildings – a standalone, 2,000 square foot, one story retail building next to
the Historic Newtown Presbyterian Church, and a three-story building fronting
on Sycamore Street, housing 22,000 square feet of retail space on the first
floor and 26 one bedroom apartments on the second and third.
Vince Keenan, president of NAC construction, said he’s
hoping to have the main building under roof by January and completed in the
May-June time frame.
“Right now we’re on schedule and doing well,” reports Jim
Worthington, owner of the Newtown Athletic Club and a partner in the Promenade
project. “I’m excited. It’s going to be a high-end, beautiful project when it’s
all said and done.”
The first floor retail space in the main building will be
anchored by Philadelphia-based Anthropologie, which markets itself as “an
inspiring place to shop for women's clothing, accessories and home decor.”
Founded in Wayne, Anthropologie caters to women wanting a
curated mix of clothing, accessories, gifts and home décor that reflects their
personal style and fuels their passions, from fashion to art and entertaining.
The chain boasts more than 185 stores throughout the United States, Canada and
the United Kingdom.
“We’re virtually filled on the retail end,” said
Worthington. “There are a few little spots left, but that’s about it.”
Worthington is holding the identities of his retail
tenants close to his vest, although he did offer a few hints.
“There’s a local high-end jeweler” who will be taking up
residence at the Promenade, said Worthington. “Verizon Wireless is another one.
And we’re bouncing around the idea of a food provider that we would have to get
approval from the township. We’re having those negotiations now.”
While retail takes up residency at street level, the
second and third floors will boast 26 one bedroom high-end, luxury apartments
boasting between 1,500 and 2,300 square feet of living space each.
“The interest in the apartments is off the charts. We have
a long list of people interested,” noted Worthington.
“There’s a real need for high-end brand new product in
Newtown and the location of the Promenade is a big draw,” said the developer.
“There are a lot of people who live locally who are looking to get rid of their
primary home where they have lived for 15 or 20 years and they want to be in
walking distance to the borough and the town.”
In addition to filling a residential need in the
township, the project represents a huge step forward in fulfilling the
township’s vision of Sycamore Street as a walkable, downtown district.
“With Goodnoe Corner and Beneficial Bank filling in as
the bookends, this is the cornerstone of our downtown street,” said Mike
Gallagher, chairman of the Newtown Township Board of Supervisors.
The Promenade, said Gallagher, will bring new living
units to the street, which means more people using the sidewalks and shopping
at the stores. It’s also bringing new retail to the street, which adds to the
vision of a “commercial, walkable, viable downtown street.”
In addition, Gallagher said Anthropologie’s choice of
Newtown could also be the beginning of a trend toward high end for Newtown.
“I’m excited that Anthropologie decided that Newtown is
where they want to put their next store. I don’t know if we’re known as a major
shopping place, but maybe they’ve seen the vision that we have of bringing
people into town as a shopping destination. Anthropologie could be the first to
put their foot in the door of the high end retail market,” said Gallagher.
Worthington agrees, also predicting that other high end
retailers will follow Anthropologie’s lead and discover the market in Bucks
County.
“There’s a demand for this higher end product,” he said.
“Just like the NAC is one of a kind in the fitness industry, this concept is
going to be one of a kind in Bucks County. And trust me, we are going to exceed
people’s expectations,” he said
Source: Bucks
Local News
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