Cranberry Crossroads Seeks Approval for Plans

Developers of are hoping plans for a shopping center and office space on Route 228 will be approved next week by the Planning Advisory Commission.

At Tuesday’s workshop meeting, commission members reviewed revamped plans for the 98,940 square feet of retail space with a two-story Dick’s Sporting Goods as its centerpiece. It also would include 90,000 square feet of business and professional office space, a 6,300-square-foot restaurant and a 5,569-square-foot GetGo fueling station and car wash on 24 acres of land.

Plans initially included a bank with a drive-thru, but Ron Henshaw, Cranberry’s director of community development, said that space instead will be used for a multi-tenant retail space.

Also gone is a roundabout for cars near the entrance to the development, located next to the Cranberry Commons shopping center. Henshaw said there was no way trucks could make turns on the roundabout as designed.

“Quite frankly, it just didn’t work,” Henshaw said.

Residents also will see changes to Mars Road behind the proposed development. Henshaw said Mars Road would come to a "T "and meet a new road leading into the shopping center and Route 228. McElroy Road, which connects Route 228 to the property, also would be relocated and act as an entrance to the shopping plaza.

Henshaw said there are plans for separate pedestrian and bikers paths included within the shopping center. Plans for sidewalks on Route 228 would be held off until the road is improved.

ECHO, a Pittsburgh-based real estate and retail development company; and Pittsburgh's Elmhurst Group, which specializes in developing office buildings, are developing the former campground property.

Henshaw said the developers would seek approval for the plans at the June 6 meeting. The developers hope to break ground on the vacant property before the end of the year.