Derry Township's supervisors on Tuesday approved a subdivision proposed by developer PennTex Ventures to set the stage for construction of a Dollar General store along Route 217, southwest of Derry Borough.
Timothy H. Weinman, president of PennTex, said the Greensburg-based real estate development company intends to construct a 9,100-square-foot store that it will lease to Dollar General on a 2.1-acre portion of the former Kingston Golf Center.
Weinman said he believes the project will meet with remaining Westmoreland County planning requirements, allowing for construction to start as early as next month for a proposed Sept. 1 opening.
He said the new store will be about 20 percent larger than an existing Dollar General location it will replace, in a retail building leased from a different owner at South Chestnut Street and First Avenue in downtown Derry.
According to Weinman, lack of parking is a major drawback at the downtown site.
“The new store will be much larger,” he said. “It will have a lot of parking and will carry a lot more food items.”
It will provide more-convenient access for motorists, directly from Route 217, he added.
Derry Borough council members have said they intend to work with county officials to identify a potential new occupant to fill the downtown store that Dollar General will vacate.
Though he could not cite a specific employment target, Weinman said the new store will require additional staff beyond the eight full-time and part-time positions at the downtown location.
Jeff Himler is an editor for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-459-6100, ext. 2910 or jhimler@tribweb.com.
