Adams Township supervisors gave final planning approval Monday night, Feb.25, to the master plan for Adams Town Center, a mixed-use retail and office complex planned for Route 228.

The applicant, Ray Nelson, already owns two businesses near the site — Supremo’s Pizzeria and Nelson Kitchen & Bath. The parcel for the planned development consists of nearly 7 acres and is located next to the Adams Area Fire District station.

The project has been in the works since at least 2021. Township manager Gary Peaco said the project has been shifting behind the scenes mainly due to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s redevelopment of Route 228.

“It’s not simple when you’re dealing with a PennDOT project and you want to try and add something to it in the middle,” Peaco said.

Peaco said the final stage of the project may involve Nelson tearing down the existing buildings and moving them into the town center space.

“They’re going to add more buildings and possibly tear down his building and move into a new building at his site,” Peaco said. “That’s a potential game plan at this point.”

Supervisors voted to advertise for bids for an expansion to the community park next to its municipal building on Valencia Road. Plans for the expansion include a pickleball court, a basketball court, and a new parking lot.

Peaco said the township is hoping to build all three, but it depends on the bids it receives next month.

“We’d like to do all three of those parts, but depending on the costs, we may not,” Peaco said.