Upper Gwynedd: Merck working on new manufacturing facility
UPPER GWYNEDD - A land development application has been filed with the township, giving notice of plans by Merck to build a new manufacturing facility.
"I guess the old facility was outdated, so they need a new, more up-to-date facility," said township planning and zoning officer David Conroy. The application is for a site on the Merck campus at 770 Sumneytown Pike.
The application comes amid a tax assessment appeal on two Merck properties.
In early May, Upper Gwynedd's staff asked the township commissioners to approve a contract for new assessments of two major properties in that township, including their campus at 770 Sumneytown Pike, and at the time, North Penn School District administrators said Merck had filed an appeal on the values of two parcels that generated over $16 million annually in tax revenue to the district. At that time, the township approved the contract, but the school board did not, and the company said it was "dedicated to achieving an agreement that is both fair and equitable for the community and the company in a timelyA manner."
Later in May, the district's solicitor said the board met in executive session "to discuss litigation involving a tax assessment appeal," and in early June, the district said budget figures were still being finalized, with the impact of talks with Merck still uncertain. Later in June, the district school board voted to hire a special counsel "for litigation matters" between the district and company, and said tax bills issued July 1 "would go out at their full assessed value. And they may or may not pay that full bill. It's going to depend on our conversations with them," the district CFO said at the time.
During his recent planning and zoning report, Conroy summarized several new projects proposed over the past month since his prior report, including a residential subdivision for a ‘flag lot' on Prospect Avenue, two residential garage variances, one request for a setback variance for a proposed takeout restaurant, and one filed by Merck for a new ‘Building 71,' with no additional specifics provided.
"Time wins again, as usual, with buildings going out of date, so that's what's going on there," he said.
No further details on the plan were provided, but Conroy said both the Merck project and the Prospect Avenue subdivision should appear before the township's planning commission in August, where the applicants will have to address all comments made by that board and by township staff and consultants before the plans advance to the commissioners for their input and vote. The monthly code department report posted by the township lists three permits secured by Merck over the prior month: one for "electrical work to support complete building fit out" at a facility on Louise Lane, and two at 770 Sumneytown for "second and fourth floor restroom renovation" and "electric and fire alarm" work related to the restroom renovations.
Regarding the assessment dispute, no members of the board or township staff, or public comments, directly addressed that topic Monday night, but township solicitor Lauren Gallagher announced that the board had met earlier that night to discuss "several matters of active litigation."
Upper Gwynedd's commissioners next meet at 7 p.m. on August 10 and the planning commission next meets at 7 p.m. on Aug. 12, both at the township administration building, 1 Parkside Place; for more information visit www.UpperGwynedd.org.
Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.