A 14,000-square-foot Walgreens pharmacy will improve the corner of University Boulevard and Brodhead Road in Moon, both in terms of traffic and aesthetics, a Moon official said.
Scott Brilhart, township planning director, said the drugstore will be built on the corner on lots now occupied by Hometown Pizza, Mario's restaurant and Chvasta Skin Care & Cosmetics, as well as an adjacent small ranch house occupied more than 20 years ago by the Airport Area Chamber of Commerce.
"At Brodhead and University Boulevard, there are six or seven curb cuts right in a row," Brilhart said. "Walgreens would reduce those to two."
One of those two curb cuts would be an entrance from University Boulevard, though motorists could not exit to travel north on University. The other would be constructed on Brodhead Road near the Thomas Nolfi Insurance building, which would give motorists the option of turning either right or left out of the 48-space parking lot.
And because the pharmacy would be in the township's Carnot Overlay District, its developers would have to comply with additional requirements, such as those requiring sidewalks, shrubbery and trees, Brilhart said.
The goal of the overlay district is a more aesthetic, village-style atmosphere in Moon's main commercial district. As part of the overlay district requirements, Walgreens would also install what is called a brick "monument-style" sign, rather than the pole signs that dominate University Boulevard.
"It's going to be an improvement to the intersection," Brilhart said of the pharmacy.
Walgreens spokeswoman Carol Hively said it was too soon in the approval process to comment about the requirements.
"We do tentatively plan to open in mid-2008, and the key word there is 'tentatively' since we're still in the early stages on this," Hively said.
Moon Supervisors have approved plans for the Walgreens, provided that the developer fulfills certain conditions, including obtaining a PennDOT highway occupancy permit.
Brilhart said the drugstore and other proposed developments for the township are signs that the economy is picking up. The others are a Wal-Mart proposed for West Hills Shopping Center, which replaces a previous proposal for a Target; a USAirways operations center proposed for land off Ewing Road; and a Countrywide Financial building proposed for the Airside Business Park on Business Route 60, on the former Greater Pittsburgh International Airport terminal property.
Developers for the Countrywide building will seek approval at the March 27 planning agency meeting. Representatives for the other developments have yet to submit plans to the township for approval.
