U-Haul eyes Lower Macungie for facility
U-Haul wants to build a large self-storage facility off Route 100 on 4.8 acres that include an old farmhouse.
The proposed facility at 7785 Spring Creek Road would include an 82,000-square-foot three-story building with 700 self-storage units and an 8,000square-foot storage building for 200 units, according to Mike Zemba, area district vice president for U-Haul.
Zemba told the Lower Macungie Township Planning Commission meeting on Tuesday that U-Haul hopes to break ground on the development in the spring. The company plans to offer storage unit rentals and vehicle storage, as well as selling moving supplies and trailer hitches.
Erich J. Schock, attorney for U-Haul, said they plan to have an outside consultant do a historical review of the farmhouse to get recommendations on what should happen with it.
Planning commission Chairman Thomas F. Beil asked if U-Haul would be willing to preserve the foundation and put up a historical marker if the building can’t be saved. The representatives said they would.
Matt Chartrand, engineer with Bohler Engineering for U-Haul, questioned whether the township still wanted the plans to include a walking path along Spring Creek Road.
“Is it an area that we want to encourage pedestrians to walk?” he asked.
Planner Maury Robert said the township is striving to get more macadam walking paths along its roads.
“Yes, we are very serious about continuing to make the township a walkable community,” Robert said.
Planners gave more recommendations on what they want to see with the development and Chartrand said they would make the suggested revisions and resubmit the plans.