How many darn wawas do we need? Every corner has one

It's not even the fact that is a WaWa......How much more congestion can this area stand? For crying out loud, we have the GIANT, GIANT......their gas station, Burger King, all of that turnpike and mall traffic. They need to correct the infastructure before they add such a high volume business as a super WaWa. Hey, here's thought......extend the park! Oh wait...........can't make MONEY on a park! Oh and then that would have to be accessable!

My thanks to Mr. Goodman for his interest in keeping Willow Grove's economy strong. We need the tax revenue and employment opportunities. I worry about leaving an empty building of Bally's size sit for too long. Undeveloped it risks vandalism and possibly ends up with shoddy developers coming in. I disagree with Commissioner Warner in regard to townhomes in a depressed real estate market. I also am concerned with having a second multi-pump gas station in such close proximity to Giant's, both environmentally and in regard to extreme fire hazard. Can our volunteer firecdepartment handle an emergency? They need to be consulted. And Mr. Osborne above must mean banks and drug stores on every corner, not Wawas. There are several properties that need developing. What about the bank building facing Easton Rd at Park Ave. It is small potatoes but another eyesore. Our town is over 300 years and part of the history of our nation. It behooves our Comissioners and Planning board to see what other developers have in mind. Goodman Properties has developed a lot but what if they decide it is is more fiscally sound to put their money elsewhere and sell to another developer? The Willow Grove of my childhood is just a dim memory now but there is still potential for the future.

I for one like it We need to help people with ideas.

Sounds like a plan that brings some jobs to the area and gets rid of a building that Bally's/LA Fitness swore wasn't going to close up after the merger (oops!). Excellent!

What does this mean for the rumored Super Wawa in Hatboro? Would this be in addition to that or instead of? The traffic congestion is what concerns me at both locations.

We need a Wawa there. The wawa on Moreland road SUCKS. A Wawa there will benifit the community. Maybe during the grand opening career Philadelphia politician Allyson Schwartz will make her first ever appearance in Montgomery County.

Not a bad proposal. Traffic wouldn't be an issue there , unlike the current awful location on Moreland Rd. and creating jobs is great too Residents can walk to work or the train can be easily accessed for transportation. I really don't want to see more big box retail stores. How about the recommendation for this prime location is to develop for the arts. A theater or small movie complex. I won't hold my breath, so bring on the wawa.

Considerable consideration should be given to the flow of traffic from Easton Road to Old York Road. Already there are too many reckless drivers who change lanes mid-turn because they want to go up 263 from the left lane.

While I have no data to back this, I imagine the addition of a Wawa is going to exacerbate an already bad situation.

If driving scares you Bill, maybe you should stay inside.

The presentation at the BOC and the coummunity comments were re-freshingly open and honest. Mr. Goodman has a strong interest in our downtown and, even though I don't like the "Chinese Wall" of his shopping center, he does keep it landscaped, clean, and inviting (from Park Avenue). The issue, for me, is the traffic pattern from 263 and 611. I go through the "Y" it several times a day and marvel that there are not more accidents. I think that considerable thought needs to go into working with PennDot, the Township, and current business owners to develop a safe traffic pattern. Moreover, a WAWA wasn't high on anyone's list for our downtown. It doesn't promote the pedestrian friendly, retail-based, destination-oriented Willow Grove that we started to build from the Memorial Drive/Streetscape project. Yes, it is better not to have an abandoned building in our midst. (So many of us wince at the debacle of our beloved old bank. Clearly a project that has gone way off course!) However, Moureen W. reflects on what we have all hoped would come --some type of arts and entertainment center or restaurant combo. As to jobs, we have a WAWA on Moreland Road that employees people who would, I think, move with their jobs. I don't think the Corporation would keep the old store open, so there's no big win for us there. I drove through Hatboro today and saw the signs for "NO Super WAWA." I vote with the Hatters! Yes, to Mr. Goodman: however, bring us another project!

We should not jump on the first proposal made, we should strive for quality and not quantity. Gas and banking are low hanging fruit that will not add, whatsoever, to an improved down town area. Just 1-2 years ago many, if not most, commissioners were in agreement that we did not need any more gas stations in WG (note development discussions up by the home depot), though we now have the new Giant gas station anyway. To support another gas station just down the street is completely contradictory to those previous development discussions for another area not so far away.

I am all for new jobs but lets look for some quality. I do agree that entertainment and restaurants would do a lot more to get people out and enjoying 'down town willow grove' more. And more banks? how many more do we need? Again, this is 'easy' low hanging fruit, a no brainer for someone who wants to turn a quick profit but with very little concern about the longterm quality of our town center.

Is our quality of life directly tied to the location of the nearest WaWa?

Tom, You are right....I mis-wrote when attributing Goodman to the Chinese Wall of the Federal Realty property. Bruce Goodman, nonetheless, has developed and maintained a number of retail areas and, except for the issue of the broken dam at the Pier One/Best Buy locale, I welcome his involvement in the township. His view, however, is that we are a drive-thru community. His comments on the "wall" were to the effect that he understood the removal of the window-shopping/pedestrian-based store fronts on Easton Road. Why keep up the expense when no one can really shop while driving by at 40 miles an hour? He may be right about that, but the continued belief that we are a drive-thru has really made us into a drive-by. Are there really no theater/resaturant or other destination-based ideas that we could adopt? And, according to Wawa Corp., there probably won't be twice the number of jobs available with a Super. It is based on the number of part-time and fulltime positions needed to staff it against the retail volume. When the one closes, the other will offer positions to the current associates.

Unless Abington hospital decides to make use of the Bally's site, bring on the WAWA. Our town center is a hodge-podge of confusing roads, Septa trains crossing highways, and retail store parking lots. Beautiful downtown Willow Grove is non-existent and doesn't look to be getting a face lift too soon. Wawa is the best mini-mart in Pennsylvania and will pay its taxes.

You want visitors and foot traffic but you don't want cars/traffic? That's like wanting bullets but not a gun. Make up your minds...do you want businesses to come to town or do you want more closed-down shops. Look at downtown Jenkintown on 611 for crying out loud. Do you want that?

Anyone with eyes that travels that specific section of 611 knows that the "traffic" there is insanely dangerous and congested. Simply stated we don't need to add to the traffic congestion there without first addressing the safety issues! Speed limit's 25 along there and NOBODY obey's it! And it's not enforced! If you even consider slowing down to pull off there you end up with a car up your rear end. Ever try to access Manhattan Bagel?
Jenkintown suffers from the same problem.......too much traffic, not enough lanes to accomodate! Maybe making existing businesses more accessable is the answer. Guns? Bullets? I fail to see the comparison.

Community means more than just buildings. It was my understanding that in 2003 a revitalization plan for Willow Grove was presented which proposed a community center along the lines of the Greater Plymouth Community Center for the former Bally's location. Greater Plymouth is an amazing facility and a similar development could provide a cornerstone to resorting the community of Willow Grove. As a long time Willow Grove resident a can say without question the last thing we need in our "community" is more retail space - or another scheister developer taking advantage of us like when they built the mall in the 1980's and shopping center in the 1990's.