The commercial development boom on Benner Pike near Bellefonte isn’t slowing down yet.
Centre County’s Board of Commissioners on Tuesday heard a brief overview of preliminary plans for a two lot development that would include an automotive dealership, fast food restaurants and retail businesses.
The development in Benner Township would be located across the road from the Paradise Shopping Center and in between the Tru by Hilton hotel currently under construction and the Centre County Correctional Facility, according to Christopher Schnure, Centre County subdivision and land development planner.
Lot 1 would be the first to be constructed and would include sales and service buildings for Stuckey Automotive. The company plans to move its nearby Ford dealership to the new location and use the existing property at 2892 Benner Pike for an expanded body shop, Stuckey Automotive President Matt Stuckey told StateCollege.com.
Stuckey said he is hoping to break ground for the new dealership location before the end of 2025.
The second lot, which Schnure said would be developed by local real estate developer Bob Poole, is slated to include two fast food restaurant buildings of 2,545 and 4,200 square feet at the front of the property and two retail buildings at the back.
Schnure said the county has not been informed of any specific businesses identified for the four buildings.
The existing traffic signal at the north end of the Paradise Shopping Center would be modified from a three-way to a four-way intersection.
Commissioners advanced a memorandum of understanding among the county, township and developer to next week’s consent agenda for approval. The agreement does not represent plan approval, but rather for the developer to reimburse Benner Township for the costs associated with processing, reviewing, inspecting and approving the engineering aspects of the plan.
It’s the latest in a long series of commercial development in the Benner Pike corridor over the last 15 years, which Commissioner Steve Dershem said was envisioned when the stretch of Interstate 99 between Bellefonte and State College was completed more than 20 years ago.
“…’Vision 2020,’ I think is what they called it at the time, all this growth and all this impact, and it’s probably about 15 years behind schedule in that regard,” Dershem said. “I think you’re seeing a lot of the development, a lot of the growth, realizing that you now have a major artery between State College and Bellefonte which has the capability of accepting a lot of business. And you’re seeing a lot of residential growth in the Benner Township area, and it all just fits hand in glove, I think, to the future of what Centre County in that area is going to look like.”
Sheetz was among the first new businesses in the corridor when it opened in 2011. (The store was rebuilt last year).
Development has ramped up in recent years, with the opening of Rutter’s and Dunkin’ followed by the Paradise Shopping Center. Giant Food Stores opened in the shopping center in late 2022, followed by McDonald’s last summer, and a Chipotle and a Panera Bread are planned to fill out the complex’s remaining restaurant pads.
Centre Boot moved from Phoenix Avenue in Bellefonte to the former Amish Furniture Connection building on Benner Pike last year. The most recent business opening in the corridor came in March with a franchise location of The Meadows frozen custard behind Troy’s Philadelphia Style Hoagies (which returned to Benner Pike in 2018).
Wawa, meanwhile, has submitted plans for one of its first three Centre County stores to be located directly across from Sheetz and the project is going through the land development process.
In addition to the Tru by Hilton, another hotel is under construction less than a mile north: a dual-brand Avid Hotel/Candlewood Suites at the Amberleigh Lane intersection.
And to the south in the Benner Commerce Park, Amazon has begun work on a 122,000-square-foot distribution center warehouse.
“We’ve been seeing so much activity on Benner Pike,” Commissioner Mark Higgins said. “I’d think pretty soon they’re going to run out of land, but maybe not quite yet. It’s getting there though.”
Higgins added that Benner and Spring townships have been logical locations for increased development between Bellefonte and the State College area.
“The Centre Region is maybe not fully developed but getting there, and the Borough of Bellefonte at… 2.4 square miles, it’s pretty much full, and so now I think we’re seeing fill-in between Bellefonte and State College,” Higgins said. “…We’re happy to see some slow, steady growth in the region, and Spring and Benner townships are one of the more obvious places for that now.”
He noted that Benner Pike is now one of the three or four busiest roads in the county. Commissioner Amber Concepcion said the Centre County Metropolitan Planning Organization is “keeping a close eye on” the corridor, and Schnure added the MPO recently launched a Benner Pike study committee.
New Housing Development
The commissioners also advanced an engineering MOU for Fox Lane Homes at Buffalo Run in Benner Township.
Preliminary plans for the development include the subdivision of 50 single-family residential lots and homestead property for the current lot owner, with corresponding infrastructure such as public streets, water and sewer and stormwater management control.
The development would be located on 44.87 acres along the south side of Buffalo Run Road/Route 550 and north of the Fox Ridge subdivision near South Fillmore Road. Access to the new development would be from Fox Ridge Boulevard.
“It’s wonderful to see 51 new single-family homes being built,” Higgins said. “Hopefully they’ll be at least moderately affordable.”
