Steeple View Development in Newtown: The Breaking Point

Steeple View Development in Newtown: The Breaking Point for Allan Smith, and What It Means for the Creek Walk and Public Areas (Plus a Rumor Mill Buzzing)

Adding to the layers of speculation surrounding the future of this ambitious project, a rumor has begun to circulate that Allan Smith has sold the Steeple View property to Jim Worthington of the Newtown Athletic Club (NAC).

It is important to emphasize that this remains purely speculative at this time and has not been confirmed by either party. Such a transfer of ownership, if true, could significantly alter the project's trajectory, either accelerating its completion under new leadership or leading to an entirely different vision for the site, which in turn could further impact the fate of the proposed creek walk and public areas.

Allan Smith's "Steeple View" development in Newtown, Pennsylvania, envisioned as a transformative mixed-use community, has faced a protracted and often challenging journey through the local approval process. While the project recently secured a significant hurdle with the Newtown Borough Council's approval of revised final plans in December 2023, the path has been anything but straightforward, marked by years of discussions, reviews, revisions, and ongoing concerns from local officials and residents.

This relentless gauntlet of approvals begs a critical question: At what point does a seasoned developer like Allan Smith, despite significant investment, simply walk away? The answer lies in the cumulative burden of time, financial strain, and the perceived diminishing returns that such a drawn-out process can inflict. And for the community, a developer's decision to abandon a project like Steeple View carries significant implications for the promised public amenities, such as the highly anticipated creek walk and other public spaces.

The Steeple View project aims to redevelop a nine-acre parcel stretching from Centre Avenue to the former Stockburger property, incorporating residential, retail, and restaurant spaces across seven new buildings. Smith, a seasoned developer in Newtown with projects like the Stocking Works to his name, has seen his plans evolve considerably since their initial conception.

One of the most persistent difficulties has revolved around parking and traffic circulation. Original plans included a parking garage, which was later eliminated, leading to significant concerns from borough officials. Council members, including Bob Szwajkos, who cast the lone dissenting vote against the final approval, have voiced strong objections, arguing that the removal of the garage would lead to increased congestion and traffic rerouting on borough streets. The developer's attorney, Tim Duffy, has maintained that the current parking plan is sufficient, but the issue has required extensive discussion and revisions, including a shared parking agreement with the adjacent Stocking Works office complex. Each revision means more architectural and engineering work, more legal fees, and more time.

Another key point of contention has been the proposed pedestrian bridge connecting Newtown Borough to Newtown Township's Carl Sedia Park. While integral to Smith's vision of a connected community, the bridge project requires separate approval from the Newtown Township Board of Supervisors. This dual-jurisdiction requirement adds a layer of complexity, with the borough expressing concerns about the project's viability if the township doesn't approve the bridge. This isn't just a matter of waiting; it means engaging a whole new set of stakeholders, facing potentially different concerns, and incurring additional costs for separate applications and presentations. Should the township deny the bridge, the entire project's appeal and functionality could be significantly diminished, potentially rendering years of effort moot for that specific, crucial component.

Beyond these specific elements, the broader approval process itself has been lengthy and intricate. The project has undergone multiple extensions of its review period, with numerous meetings before the planning commission and borough council. Borough engineer Michelle Fountain noted in early 2025 that the developer still has "39 conditions they have to meet" before construction can begin. Each one of these conditions, from specific material choices to storm drainage plans, requires further detailed engineering, legal review, and often, resubmission and re-review. This translates directly into escalating soft costs: legal fees, architectural fees, engineering fees, consultant fees, and administrative charges, all accumulating month after month, year after year, before a single shovel can hit the ground.

The sheer scale of Steeple View, as the largest redevelopment project in Newtown's history, inherently invites heightened scrutiny and public engagement. While no direct organized opposition to Steeple View itself has been highlighted, general concerns about "overdevelopment" and its impact on traffic and quality of life are common themes in Newtown Township, as evidenced by discussions around other proposed developments in the area. This broader community sentiment can indirectly contribute to the cautious approach of local authorities in reviewing large-scale projects like Steeple View, leading to more rigorous questioning and demands for revisions, further extending the timeline.

For a developer, time is quite literally money. Prolonged approval processes lead to significant opportunity costs. Capital is tied up, unable to be deployed in other, potentially less encumbered projects. Market conditions can shift; construction costs can rise unexpectedly during extended delays (as has been a significant factor in recent years); interest rates can fluctuate. What was a financially viable project at its inception can become significantly less attractive, or even unprofitable, after years of unanticipated expenses and delays.

And what does this mean for the cherished public amenities like the proposed creek walk and other public spaces? These elements are often integral to the developer's overall vision and are leveraged during the approval process as benefits to the community. They are typically tied to the larger development plan. If Allan Smith were to reach a breaking point and abandon the Steeple View project, these public areas would almost certainly be jeopardized or entirely lost.

• The Creek Walk: The planned creek walk along Newtown Creek is a significant selling point for the Steeple View development, offering public access to the waterfront and enhancing recreational opportunities. If the project stalls or is abandoned, the creek walk would likely not be constructed. The land may remain privately owned and undeveloped, or future development, if it ever occurs, might not incorporate such a public amenity. The borough and township would then have to find alternative funding and initiatives to create such a public access point, which could be years away or never materialize.
• Public Gathering Spaces: The Steeple View plans also include various public gathering spaces, plazas, and pedestrian-friendly areas designed to foster a sense of community. These are integrated into the overall design and are contingent on the construction of the surrounding buildings. Without the development, these envisioned public spaces would not come to fruition, leaving the site as undeveloped or underdeveloped private property rather than a vibrant community hub.
• Loss of Public Investment: The municipality invests significant staff time and resources in reviewing and negotiating with developers on large projects. If a project is abandoned, this public investment in the approval process essentially goes to waste, with no tangible benefit to the community in terms of improved infrastructure or public spaces.

While Allan Smith has demonstrated remarkable persistence, there comes a point where the economic viability of a project is eroded beyond recovery. The accumulated cost of consultants, legal battles, and endless revisions, combined with the lost time and missed market opportunities, can eventually outweigh the potential returns. For a developer, understanding this breaking point is crucial. It's the moment when, despite all the investment and effort, the prudent business decision becomes to cut losses and seek out less arduous ventures, rather than continuing to pour resources into a project that may never deliver the anticipated return. The continued challenges, particularly securing the township's approval for the pedestrian bridge and navigating the numerous remaining conditions, raise the specter of whether even Allan Smith's considerable resolve could be ultimately tested to that breaking point, with significant implications for the public benefits that the community had hoped to gain.