Upper Merion Township is making a bold land grab in the heart of King of Prussia, writes Paul Schwedelson for the Philadelphia Business Journal.
The township agreed to buy an 11-acre parcel at 150 E. Dekalb Pike, currently home to Rossi Auto Salvage, for $8 million. The deal is expected to close in 18 months and would give the township a key piece of real estate. The parcel borders the planned extension of Prince Frederick Boulevard to Henderson Road.
“There have been many conversations over the years about which parcels in Upper Marion Township, if they became available, we might be interested in buying,” said Supervisor Greg Waks. “And this was one of them.”
While plans remain undecided, Waks hopes at least part of the site is preserved as open space or parkland. The township had previously rejected a proposal to rezone the site for residential use. Toll Brothers already has a development site nearby.
The Rossi family agreed to de-industrialize the site before the transfer. Final pricing will land between $8.2 million and $8.4 million, based on appraisal.
Read more about the future of the large land parcel in King of Prussia in the Philadelphia Business Journal.
