Final Plans Moving Forward for North Atherton Street Asian Market

Patton Township Planning Commission on Monday unanimously recommended the approval of a final land development plan for a new Asian market along North Atherton Street.

The property, J&C Market, will feature a store that specializes in Asian foods and other retail goods. The new shop, proposed for 1869 N. Atherton St., would stand in the former location of Lohr’s Auto Sales and Service following substantial renovations and an addition.

Sitting atop a 0.69-acre parcel near the entrance to the Trader Joe’s Plaza, the property would undergo “complete building renovations,” according to submitted development plans. The project would construct a 2,522-square-foot building addition on top of existing gravel and paved areas, as well as the installation and re-striping of a new parking lot. In total, the single-story market would be 6,282 square feet.

Floor plans for the market include a kitchen and a dedicated food preparation area, as well as traditional retail shelves and aisles akin to a supermarket. The market will not offer indoor seating.

Although planning commission ultimately recommended approval, some members voiced concerns regarding the proposed market’s traffic plans. The property currently features one entry and one exit driveway connected to the eastbound lane of North Atherton Street.

“I’m really not comfortable with this entrance and exit, but I have no other idea of how to do it better, other than flopping everything,” said commission member William Burnett. “I’m just not comfortable with how this, to me, looks with the entrance and exit onto Atherton.”

Mid-Penn Engineering, the engineering firm for the market plan, is working with PennDOT to lay out revisions for the property’s highway occupancy permit. The project has already called for a repainted crosswalk and the installation of a rumble strip along the eastern edge of North Atherton Street directly outside the property.

At Monday’s meeting, project manager Kenneth Estep estimated it would take between 60 and 90 days to receive permit approval from PennDOT.

Planning commission members motioned to add a number of small enhancements to the market’s plans, including the installation of a small bike rack near the store’s entrance. A set of stairs will be constructed in the building’s rear to help pedestrians access the rest of the nearby shopping center along Patriot Lane. Additionally, a few trees will be relocated away from driveways and waste enclosures, although plans still call for 19 to be planted, joining 23 that already call the property home.

J&C Market is owned by Jing Mei Jiang, Yu Mei Chen, Xin Xing Jiang and Yan Jin Jiang, who jointly purchased the property in December 2020 for $1.6 million, according to county records.

Following planning commission approval, plans for J&C Market will advance to Patton Township’s Board of Supervisors for final consideration on Wednesday. The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m.