$500,000 grant received for Iron Springs Plaza

(8/12) Additional grant money was received for the construction of the Iron Springs Plaza project in Hamiltonban Township. Amy Kauffman, Director of Economic Development at GMS Funding Solutions, was present to discuss at the August 2 Board of Supervisors meeting to discuss the grants received thus far for the project.

Kauffman was pleased to announce that Hamiltonban Township received a second grant in the amount of $550,000. This grant money will be used for improvements to Fairfield Road and Iron Springs Road, including the intersection of both roads. The grant is run through the Commonwealth Financing Authority’s Multimodal Transportation Program.

This $550,000 grant will be added to the $700,000 grant received eighteen months ago by PennDOT. The PennDOT grant is intended to help with costs related to the transportation infrastructure, those costs including permitting, road realignment and traffic signals.

Realtor and developer David Sites, of David L. Sites Realty Leasing & Management, Gettysburg, is slated to construct the Iron Springs Plaza shopping center on a 17-acre tract located at the intersection of Iron Springs and Fairfield (Route 116) roads. The land would be subdivided into five lots one of which will contain a 35,000 square foot grocery store, as the plaza anchor business, and a 7,200 square foot retail business. Kennie's Markets was discussed at one time but that deal has since fallen apart. Other lots are still in the works.

Board members, who believe that the economy of the town will be helped significantly consider this project a very important project for Southwest Adams County. The Plaza could bring in approximately 100 extra jobs to the area. The Board was incredibly excited to have received an additional grant for this project and made a motion to accept the funds. Mr. Sites hopes to break ground spring of 2017.