Northampton Area deal with Jaindl will allow infrastructure improvements on district property

Despite the objection of some members, Northampton Area School Board has moved ahead with an infrastructure agreement with developer David Jaindl tied to his planned warehouse development in neighboring Allen Township.The board Monday approved an indemnification and maintenance agreement between JW Development Partners, East Allen Township and the district that addresses stormwater maintenance facilities and a traffic signal to be installed at the future intersection of Nor-Bath Boulevard and the realigned Seemsville Road.As part of the development of his Northampton Business Center, including six warehouses totaling nearly 2.5 million square feet between Seemsville and Howertown roads, Jaindl will extend Seemsville Road east into East Allen Township across 13.5 acres of a 92-acre parcel owned by the district.The agreement provides for Jaindl to build and maintain stormwater collection facilities, including a detention pond and utility lines, and a traffic signal at the realigned intersection of Seemsville Road and Nor-Bath Boulevard.The board voted 7-2 to approve the agreement, with James Chuss and Chuck Longacre voting no.Longacre voiced concern over a provision of the agreement that states that the district would be liable to East Allen Township should JW Development fail to live up to its maintenance obligations.“To me, the school district has no business indemnifying anyone for work we do not do that does not benefit us,” Longacre said. “If [JW Development] fails to do it, it falls on us.”The district plans to develop the property for class space and an administration building and is comfortable moving forward, Superintendent Joe Kovalchik said.The district has three buildings — Siegfried Elementary, Washington Elementary and the administration building on Laubach Avenue — that are around 100 years old and do not provide enough room or modern amenities, he said.“That location is the central location for us to meet our specific needs,” he said of the Seemsville Road tract.The district would otherwise have to provide for the infrastructure improvements Jaindl will provide at no cost to the district, he said.Allen Township planners last week recommended the final land development plan for approval to the Board of Supervisors, with five of the six warehouses to be developed in the initial phase of a two-phase development plan.A sixth warehouse west of Howertown Road totaling 186,000 square feet would be constructed during the second phase.Kevin Duffy is a freelance writer for The Morning Call.
Source: Morningcall