A wise plan. Refreshing to see business moving into Lower Mac. which will create jobs and create revenue. A win for taxpayers.

"Friends LMT" (A local smart growth advocacy group) is supportive of this project.

Mainly due to the appropriate location and beefy design standards championed by the developer. This is the appropriate location in our twp. to build out a big box commercial corridor. By doing so here, residents will see continued return on our investment made the bypass. The by-pass allows regional shoppers access to the corridor without straining local roads.

Additionally, this will provide much needed tax base for the school district without contributing to enrollment issues.

Also the developer seems to be very community oriented. While we question comparisons to "The Promenade" or that this will be a lifestyle center per say (more like a beefed up strip center with bells and whistles, not necessarily a bad thing in the right location... and this is the right location).. it is a good project and with a developer who is interested in working together with the township to ensure resident concerns are addressed. Clearly with the officials we have elected now it's moreso on conscientious developers to build responsibly then our township encouraging it or better yet requiring it.... But here we have a situation where the developer is willing to and it's a wonderful refreshing change.

And of course everyone is excited about the costco! (The first in not only the valley but the region)

To stay updated on development news in the township visit and 'like' - www.facebook.com/friendslmt

Woo-hoo! About time we get some good stores in that area! That seems like a no-brainer!

Awesome! LOVE it. When will it be done :)

Developers are estimating that Costco will be done in the fall of 2014. We'll be there, shopping our little hearts out, before you know it!

...and best of all, it's not being developed by Jaindl !!

another burden for the PA State Police, long overdue for Lower Macungie to step up and provide a local municipal police department and ease the burden that they cause to the Pennsylvania State Police on a daily basis.

I also look forward to the Costco. I like Costco better than BJ's or Sam's but King of Prussia is just too far away. I question whether or not a Target here is too close to the one on Cedar Crest north of 22, though. Would love to see some new restaurants that aren't anywhere in the Valley, like Famous Dave's, Hardee's, Maggiano's, etc.

I'll ask again - what hit is the Diocese taking on the purchase price? If the developer needs a TIF to make it work, then it is subpar land. It is not the taxpayer's responsibility to put money in the Diocese's pocket.

When I served on the Lower Mac PC, this plan came in under my watch. The developer took many of my comments and incorporated them into a living center, not just a usual strip shopping center. This was critical because of the undesirable stigma left by the other strip shopping centers in the township. The fountains, living stormwater basins, plantings, ornamental fencing,clock towers etc together with a walkable transportation route through the center makes it the showcase of shopping centers in the valley. I wish Jaindl would consider this living center in his visions but as it stands now his visions are not quite in line with current smart growth policies.

Will it be built with local construction tradesman whos local taxes are being used or will it be built like the Promenade with out of state contractors that hired illegal workers and took our taxes and ran amid months of protest? As a community we need to make sure this doesn't happen again

We soooo need this. I have been wanting something like this since I moved here12 years ago. It is certainly about time. Maybe a White Castle and a TJ Maxx would be nice too.

The center will be a nice addition, but I still do not agree with giving tax advantages to businesses, particularly those that will compete with existing taxpaying businesses. Most companies that get these tax breaks never deliver what they promise anyway.

Traffic, congestion, traffic, congestion, traffic, congestion. Old 222 (Hamilton Blvd.) right back to perpetual gridlock.

Carl W
12:20 am on Monday, November 26, 2012

We'll just put in more bypasses & maybe even cloverleafs! Get rid of some of the homes & more 6-8 lanes. Not only will we get to follow, at night we'll get to listen to all the trucks & cars !!!

Two points of information about Costco that have made the news recently, once yesterday and the other two months ago and amplified yesterday:

1) Costco has just announced a large, one-time cash dividend of retained earnings in order to get the money out to investors in 2012 under current tax rates, instead of in later years when dividend taxes are scheduled to more than double under the fiscal cliff.
1.1) This raises the question of why should LC and ESPD taxpayers subsidize this company that has the money to invest, but chooses at the same time to instead to uncapitalize itself? This capital will most likely be hoarded in banks by Costco's shareholders, since they think its better to have it out of the company (and the economy). So much for stimulus and Quantitative Easing.

2) Jim Senegal, the co-founder and former CEO of Costco spoke to the main assembly at the Democrat convention in September. And just recently, Joe Biden infamously attended the grand opening of a Costco in Maryland.
2.1) Those connexions are now apparent and out in the open, but what good does that do for the rest of us? What should LC and EPSD (not to mention LMT, which by the way has no property tax to subsidize this and no municipal police force to patrol it) be thinking about this? Sounds like everyone will be subsidizing LMT, a Republican stronghold! How ironic.

Why on earth must we even entertain the idea of giving our tax dollars to finance this project. It is inherently wrong to use tax revenue to build retail stores. This is a gross injustice to the taxpayers. There is no reason theses developers need our money, only to fatten there pockets. They have the money, the only reason they are asking because they know without public outcry they will get it. This has been going on for many years and that is the core reason to all our budget shortfalls. Residents need to be vocal and must be informed and allowed in these meetings. After all, it is our money they want to give away.