Developer claims to have fix for stormwater issue at King George Inn

The stormwater runoff issues that have caused major delays in the redevelopment of the historic King George Inn may be resolved.

The Board of Commissioners heard a status update Wednesday on a proposal to develop the 5-acre site for an extended-stay hotel with 100 beds, a bank and pharmacy, along with the restoration of the historic structure to its original form, already well underway. Once achieved, the Colonial-era landmark, built in 1757, will be used for office space.

Bud Newton, an engineer overseeing the project on behalf of property owner Atul Patel of Hotel Hamilton LLC, told commissioners that PennDOT agreed to replace a culvert under Cedar Crest Boulevard that will eventually connect to a concrete culvert to be built below the King George property. That would eventually convey stormwater runoff downstream toward a culvert at the Weis Market in the Cedar Point Shopping Center.

“We will be providing a culvert that they can attach to in the future,” Newton said.

PennDOT was not able to provide drainage easements in the past due to the historic status of the inn, “but we have control over our property and we can provide the conveyance,” he said.

The township has provided three one-year extensions to the developer, but had seen little progress since the demolition of the abandoned Burger King and Carvel locations on the property. This extension commissioners granted Patel in January required him to provide the August update.

Patel will now go before the Planning Commission on Aug. 15 seeking a recommendation of approval for the plan.

Once township and outside agency approvals are in place, site work could begin by May with an 18-month construction timeline, Patel said.

It’s yet to be determined who will occupy the hotel, bank and pharmacy, he said.

Kevin Duffy is a freelance writer for The Morning Call.