Changes Coming to Northampton Businesses

Several Northampton buildings and properties received approval for renovations and additions at Wednesday night's board meeting.

 in Richboro will be constructing an addition to their existing building above the drive-through service lane. The 828-square-foot structure would accomodate the increasing need for administrative operations.

With the approval of a land development waiver, the bank is able to proceed with their renovations, provided they abide by the ordinance. They have chosen to opt into the VOD, and in their case it means changes in street lights out front of the property and removal of their LED sign. 

The Holland community might be happy to know that the "eyesore" formally known as Holland Gardens could soon become a new business.

The property, which has fallen into disrepair in the past 10 years, would be transformed into a new site for Estates Chimney.

The business currently holds an office in Chalfont, but this would be another location for them. They sell fireplaces, stoves and similar equipment and would like to build a 1,725-square-foot building. They would share access with the adjacent Gateway Shopping Center, which also requested a waiver to build an addition for a freezer on the side of its building. 

To move forward, business owners will still need to purchase the land from its owner and have the approval of the Zoning Hearing Board. They also asked to postpone the decorative aspects of construction such as trees and streetscape improvements for 18 months after opening. They too will opt into the VOD. 

The final waiver approval was for a training room at the firehouse in Richboro, . The township proposed a 1,450-square-foot addition that would accomodate their increase in members.

The company, mainly volunteer-powered, does training on Monday nights.

"The fire company does an amazing job," Chairman Frank Rothermel said. "They don't get to be on TV; they just do it for all the right reasons.

There would be no increase in impervious space, as it would be built on the blacktop in the back of the station.