What’s next for Benner Pike developments? Supervisors get updates on Wawa, more
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- A parcel owned by Matt Stuckey and Bob Poole will be subdivided into two separate lots.
- One lot will hold a car dealership and body shop, with the other holding commercial businesses.
- Constuction on the Benner Pike Wawa could start by the end of November.
The Benner Pike has seen a boom in new businesses in recent years, and a few more could be on the way soon, including a long-awaited Wawa.
At the Benner Township Supervisors meeting Monday, PennTerra President John Sepp and engineer Tony Fructl provided updates on two undeveloped parcels of land along the busy roadway, and what’s in the works there.
The first undeveloped parcel is located directly across from Giant next to G. M. McCrossin Inc., and is jointly owned by Stuckey Automotive President Matt Stuckey and real estate developer Bob Poole. That parcel will eventually be subdivided into two lots — one to be developed by Poole, the other by Stuckey.
Chris Schnure said at a Centre County Commissioners meeting in June that two commercial businesses and two fast-food restaurants will be developed on Poole’s lot. Stuckey’s lot will eventually house the Stuckey Ford dealership, which will be moved a half-mile up the road from its current location at 2892 Benner Pike.
“We’re going to retain ownership of the dealership’s original location and use it solely as our collision center,” Stuckey told the CDT Wednesday morning. “That way we can hire more team members and bring more economic activity to the Bellefonte area.”
While an official land development plan for the dealership and any commercial businesses/fast-food restaurants has yet to be submitted, Stuckey anticipates ground to be broken on the dealership “around spring or summer of next year.”
Access to the dealership and other developments will be through the traffic light at the intersection of Benner Pike and the road leading into the Paradise Shopping Plaza.
Long-awaited Wawa takes next step
The second undeveloped parcel is located at the corner of Benner Pike and East Rolling Ridge Drive, in front of the Greystone Court Villas and directly across from the recently renovated Sheetz. It’s expected to be the first of four proposed Wawa locations in the county.
At Monday’s meeting, the supervisors gave the Philadelphia-based chain the green light to begin construction on the 6,600-square-foot gas station following the approval of final surety agreements. Fructl told supervisors they could “probably see movement [at the site] before the end of the month.”
Wawa’s development plans were originally submitted in July 2023 and approved in early 2024, but Fructl said Monday that the process was delayed due to the finalization of some easements and agreements.
The plans for the gas station include 16 gas pumps and primary access from East Rolling Ridge Drive, with a right-out exit directly onto Benner Pike and access through the neighboring Dunkin’ property.
Two of the other three proposed Wawa locations in the county were revealed through the submission of development plans, and will be located at the former Snappy’s in Centre Hall and the former Sutliff Buick GMC Cadillac dealership and Delaney Collision Center along West Aaron Drive in Ferguson Township.
Another Wawa, to be located at the corner of East College Avenue and Squirrel Drive in College Township, was revealed at a Wawa community event in early September.
Wawa has yet to share timelines for the construction of its four Centre County locations.