Concord Township Council Tuesday night reaffirmed its approval for a joint replacement surgical center on Route 202 near Watkin Avenue. Astoria Healthcare applied for — and was approved — for the facility that includes the option for patients to stay at the center for up to 48 hours after surgery to help with recovery.
Council Vice President John Gillespie said the reaffirmation was needed because Astoria did not “finalize [its] plans on time, and the township needs to reaffirm their March 2020 resolution.”
That approval was for Astoria’s final land development plan to combine the two properties at 100 and 98 Wilmington West Chester Pike — Route 202 — and then build the 19,000 square foot surgical health center. The center would have eight accessory suites for overnight stays.
Council Co-Vice President John Crossan said demolition has already happened on the combined site and that the township worked with Astoria on the design of the building.
“I think it’s going to be a building that we can all be very proud of as we drive up and down Route 202,” Crossan said. “It’s going to have a beautiful stone finish.”
Gillespie agreed, saying it would “greatly beautify the area of 202 as you’re coming in from Delaware.”
Other business
• Gillespie read a resolution thanking Richard Julason for his years of service on the township Planning Commission, then later acknowledged Julason’s resignation from the commission. Council then voted to appoint Larry Mutschler to the commission. Mutschler is the president of Concord Pet Foods & Supplies. His term will expire in June of 2023.
• Council also appointed Lesley Berkyheiser to the Historical Commission to fill one of two vacancies. Berkyheiser is the principal and founder of The Clayton Group, LLC, an independent consulting company specializing in healthcare issues.
