A proposed commercial development at Walnut Street and Diamond Way remains in its earliest stages after members of the Limerick Board of Supervisors indicated that additional investigation into possible unmarked graves will be necessary before the project advances further.
The site, located just off of Route 422 near a Wawa, Starbucks, Outback Steakhouse and a Staybridge Suites hotel, sits adjacent to Fernwood Cemetery. During a board meeting on Tuesday evening, the property owner and project engineer presented a sketch of a conceptual commercial development plan, seeking feedback from the board before formally submitting land development applications.
Board Chair Connie Lawson said she would not be comfortable seeing the project move forward without subsurface investigation of the property, specifically calling for a ground-penetrating radar survey to help ensure that any unmarked graves are identified before earth disturbance occurs.
The proposal remains conceptual, and no land development application has been filed.
Concept Plan Includes Offices and Retail Pad
The project engineer and property owner outlined a preliminary layout for the largely vacant tract. The concept includes a fast-food or retail pad near the front of the property, a large parking area, and three 20,000-square-foot office buildings toward the rear.
The engineer described the plan as an early-stage effort to gauge township reaction before investing in full engineering, traffic studies, and detailed design work. He noted that a prior residential concept for the site did not gain support, prompting the shift toward commercial uses.
No tenants have been secured.
Supervisors also questioned whether additional office space is viable given existing vacancies in the area. The engineer said the development team could research local vacancy rates and return with additional data.
Access Options Under Discussion
A significant portion of the discussion centered on site access.
One option would utilize an existing driveway aligned with the Wawa entrance on Walnut Street. An alternate concept would extend 10th Avenue to create a new intersection.
The 10th Avenue option could potentially connect to property owned by the Spring-Ford Area School District to the rear. Supervisors encouraged the developer to speak directly with the district before pursuing that option further.
The board did not express a formal preference on access configurations, indicating that traffic and engineering details would be evaluated if and when a formal application is submitted.