New developments: Pizza Hut yes, Wawa maybe

Feb. 9—DALLAS TWP. — What is known is that a convenience store/gas station will be built on Route 309 near Tractor Supply in Dallas Township.

What is not known is the name of the store to be built.

Unless you have your ear to the ground, or you can confirm all the rumors that are out there, you will have to wait until at least Monday, Feb. 19, before you might know the answers.

That's when the Dallas Township Zoning Board will hold a hearing to listen to a presentation by "Dallas Development Partners." It's the only item on the agenda and presumably it's to discuss the vacant parcel next to Tractor Supply.

The Feb. 19 meeting will be held in the Dallas Township Municipal Building, 105 Lt. Michael Cleary Drive, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

James Harkins of HSC, LLC, owns the property. He said he has entered into an agreement of sale with Summit Realty Advisors, LLC/Dallas Development Partners of Montgomery County. Harkins said he has signed a confidentiality agreement that prevents him from discussing the plans.

On the Summit Realty Advisors, LLC, website, it states:

"Summit has over 25 years of experience in commercial real estate development including the successful development of over 125 CVS Pharmacy locations and over 20 Wawa convenience store locations."

So as the speculation grows and the rumors fly, it appears that Wawa could be locating in one, two or three locations in Luzerne County soon.

Bill Grant, Dallas Township supervisor, said the rumors will remain until the zoning board meets.

"All we know is that the plan is for a convenience store/gas station," Grant said.

The other two locations are Wilkes-Barre Township in the Union Plaza along Route 309, and on Market Street in Kingston.

On Nov. 28, it was announced that plans have formally been submitted for a new Wawa to be built along Route 309 in the Blackman Plaza, now known as the Union Center.

Thomas Zedolik, Wilkes-Barre Township zoning officer, said that drawings were also submitted for an Aldi store that will occupy part of the former Kmart in the same plaza.

Site work has begun for the Wawa as the project moves forward.

Zedolik said the plaza is owned by Union Center Realty LLC and Delaware Land Company LLC.

The Delaware County-based Wawa operates more than 1,000 stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and Washington, D.C., recently broke ground on its first North Carolina store, and has expansion plans that include Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana.

Locally there are stores in Carbon and Monroe Counties — and reportedly ones planned for Scranton. A small, older format Wilkes-Barre store closed many years ago.

A Cloud 10 car wash is also going to be built to the left of the new traffic light at Union Plaza.

Zedolik also said that another vacant space next to Rite Aid will be occupied by a Luzerne Bank branch office. He said drawings have been submitted for that as well.

As also previously reported, Wawa is separately eyeing a site on Market Street, Kingston, on a vacant parcel once occupied by Franconi Auto Parts.

The site is adjacent to the former A&A Auto site that is slated to be taken down to allow for construction of a new Chipotle restaurant.

Pizza Hut Express

Sam Guesto, Hanover Township manager, said everything is approved for a new Pizza Hut Express on the Sans Souci Parkway.

"We are waiting on the occupancy permit, which has not been applied for yet," Guesto said. "Once we receive the application and, we do an inspection and if it passes, the store could open anytime."

The Pizza Hut website states: Pizza Hut Express locations provide a quick, grab-and-go way to enjoy your favorites like personal pan pizzas, breadsticks and drinks.

Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.