Developer in Negotiations to Bring Whole Foods and Target to Towamencin, But Residents Remain Skeptical

Tony Di Domizio | North Penn Now•

The president and co-CEO of Towamencin’s largest landowner, Philadelphia Suburban Development Corporation, stood up before Towamencin Township Supervisors and the public Wednesday night and updated the progress of The Shoppes at Town Square, peppering his presentation with key words like "Target,” "Whole Foods” and "negotiations.”

However, the consensus thus far from the public is it was all smoke and mirrors, a magic act to keep the community guessing.

According to Dan Sokil at The Reporter, Mark Nicoletti confirmed that they are negotiating with Target to move in to a new building behind the current SKF property and behind the shopping center, and negotiating with Whole Foods to be the anchor grocery store at the former Genuardi’s location.

Sokil added that talks with other potential tenants were ongoing.

Furthermore, Nicoletti said PSDC acquired even more properties near Forty Foot Road and Sumneytown Pike to develop its vision of a "Main Street” at the busy intersection.

After the meeting, Supervisor Kofi Osei said Target and Whole Foods are contingent on one another. SKF, he said, is moving out of its building at Forty Foot and Tomlinson roads in May.

PSDC owns the entire Towamencin "downtown,” he said, and while nothing is official on the township end, PSDC has promised to give more frequent updates and attend planning commission meetings.

"Nicoletti came without any visuals or architects with him. He said the Whole Foods contract was signed and executed, contingent on getting Target. Target is in the middle of negotiations,” Osei said. "PSDC owns practically all of the office buildings on Forty Foot and Sumneytown.”

The Target entrance is proposed to be between the SKF property and the shopping center, at the new proposed Forty Foot Road and Newbury Way signalized intersection.

Osei said the Target would sit back from the roadway per conceptual drawings.

He said PSDC is in negotiations to buy the home closest to SKF on Tomlinson Road to donate to the township for access to the proposed Veterans’ Park. PSDC purchased the 15-acre woods and meadows surrounding homes along Tomlinson Road and behind SKF in December 2022 for $1 million, per property records.

PSDC owns the land that SKF sits on, per land records, as well as the building itself. PSDC now owns all parcels of land from Tomlinson Road to Allentown Road along Forty Foot Road, including the new Penn Community Bank parcel at the intersection.

PSDC also owns the old Univest property, the Marriott hotel property, and the former Montgomery County culinary arts property near the Forty Foot Road and Sumneytown Pike intersection.

When it came time for public comment, it was the usual "said it before, heard it before” from residents.

"There was some back and forth between Nicoletti and some residents, especially around the idea that we’ve heard the song and dance before, and nothing as materialized,” Osei said after the meeting.

Towamencin residents were excited and poised last year at the potential of Amazon Fresh opening at the location, but Amazon Fresh backed out last March.

While the former Boston Market location has been razed and fenced in, in preparation for a Chipotle and Mattress Warehouse, there has been no major movement on the parcel.

Back in 2022, Nicoletti blamed the township for the reason why there had been no development at the shopping center.

Furthermore, the site proposed for Target was once eyed as a place for immense age-restricted housing back in March 2019, but the plans have not materialized.

The biggest development at the site was the opening of Planet Fitness in 2021.

Other than refurbishing facades and improving the parking lot, there has been no major movement at the shopping center, at present.