Flourish Café, 2819 S. Eagle Road: a proposed E-5 and E- 6 (Eating Place and Eating Place - Drive-In Restaurant). The uses are permitted as conditional uses as part of a Shopping Center Use (E-15) in the PC - Planned Commercial Zoning District. The property is to be located at the former KO restaurant location in the Village at Newtown Shopping Center (Brixmor Development) on Lot No. 4 The proposed ‘European Style” restaurant will occupy approximately 3,210 square feet.

Love and Honey Fried Chicken, 2820 S. Eagle Road: a proposed E-5 and E-6 Uses (Eating Place and Eating Place - Drive-In Restaurant). The application describes it as an “EAT IN RESTAURANT.” The uses are permitted as conditional uses as part of a Shopping Center Use (E-15) ni the PC - Planned Commercial Zoning District. The property is to be located at 2820 South Eagle Road ni the Village at Newtown Shopping Center (Brixmor Development) on Lot No. 2. The proposed restaurant will occupy approximately 1,636 square feet. 

The Number of Newtown Township’s Restaurant Liquor Licenses Is Over the Allowed Quota

According to the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB), Newtown Township has 14 “Active” restaurant liquor licenses plus one held in “Safekeeping” for Blue Point Grill, which is scheduled to open in July 2023. This is more than two times the quota of 7 such licenses (1 license per 3,000 municipal residents) allowed by law (i.e., “Liquor Code”).

However, municipal authorities – e.g., Board of Supervisors – can approve the transfer of licenses into the municipality in excess of the municipal quota. The approval must happen through written resolution passed at a public meeting. If a municipality refuses to allow a license transfer, the PLCB cannot transfer the license into that municipality (read, for example, “Blue Point Grill's Liquor License Transfer Not Approved”; https://www.johnmacknewtown.info/bpgliquorfail.html).

More restaurants, such as Capital Grille, are seeking approval to open in the Brixmor shopping center and will be asking the BOS approve transfer liquor licenses from other townships. This survey asks your opinion regarding such transfers.

What do you think? TAKE THE SURVEY.

The Capital Grille, an upscale fine dining restaurant and steakhouse, is proposing to open a restaurant at the Village at Newtown shopping center on Eagle Road.

According to a conditional use application submitted to Newtown Township, The Capital Grille is looking to locate a 236-table restaurant inside an 8,000 [actually 8,500] square foot space formerly occupied by Pier One Imports on the east side of Eagle Road..

In addition to seeking conditional use approval, The Capital Grille will be asking the township to approve a liquor license transfer from a business in Warrington to the township.

The liquor license transfer and ongoing parking concerns at the center are expected to be key sticking points during the upcoming conditional use hearing expected to be held in June before the board of supervisors.

Parking in the village has gotten more challenging, especially on Friday evenings at the McCaffrey’s side of the shopping center. Even before that residents have complained about traffic and parking inside the redeveloped center.

Brixmor, the company that owns and manages the shopping center, is allowed to have up to 45 percent of its space devoted to restaurant use, under a redevelopment agreement with the township. The new restaurant would bring the percentage up to 35.7 percent.

The more challenging obstacle for The Capital Grille will be securing approval by the supervisors of a liquor license transfer. In the past the supervisors have been reluctant to approve any additional liquor licenses in the township.

The quota for liquor licenses for Newtown Township is around seven, said supervisor John Mack. The township currently has double that number, he said.

Last year when the Blue Point Grill originally presented plans for a seafood restaurant at the former Corner Bakery Cafe at the Newtown Shopping Center, the supervisors initially denied a request for a liquor license transfer from outside the township.

"The supervisors voted to deny that primarily because, at least I thought, because we have enough liquor licenses in Newtown. We don't want to become the next Pottersville," he said, referring to a fictional town in the movie, "It's A Wonderful Life." [Read 

BPG, however, was able to secure an existing license in the township from the Friends Bar and Grill, which had closed in early 2022. It eventually won conditional use approval from the township and is now preparing for a July opening.

After two years of operation, interrupted by a lengthy closure during the pandemic, Solstice Restaurant has closed its doors in the Village at Newtown Shopping Center.

The 9,245 square-foot restaurant opened in March 2020 offering hyper-seasonal menus that changed with the seasons.

In a message posted on its Facebook page, the owners wrote, "Over the past two years, Solstice has built a community of friends, family and loyal diners. When we opened our doors, we set out to provide seasonally-forward food that was thoughtfully prepared, and dedicated to quality, craft and freshness.

"If you have followed along in our journey, you know that we celebrate the season as much as we celebrate its change. Today, with a heavy heart, we're stepping into that change as we share the news of our closing.

Mary Wlodarczyk Sanginiti had this advice for the restaurant owners: "Open in a location outside of that shopping center. The traffic and parking are horrendous. We avoid all the restaurants there."

Solstice is the second restaurant to close this year at the Village. Earlier this year Friends Bar and Grill/Dolce Carini closed after its lease expired.

"Despite my best attempts over the last three years to secure a new lease, the landlord refused to give us a new one," wrote the owners of Friends on its FaceBook page. "This necessitated the closure of the business as there were no other options available."

The salad restaurant chain will open its2910 South Eagle Road location on Thursday, offering items from its “Destination California” menu.

Combining seasonal ingredients with authentic flavors from around the world, the fast-casual restaurant company is excited to open its latest location in Bucks County.

The Newtown location will offer food options from its popular 'Destination California' limited-time offerings, which feature California-inspired dishes such as the Spicy Sonoma Caesar Salad, Umami Noodle Bowl, and Verde Pork Pozole Bowl.

To celebrate the opening of its latest location, the new restaurant will host a 'Chopt Gives Day' on Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.to 7:30 p.m. 100% of sales during these times will be donated to Neighborhood Outreach Foundation. 

Newtown Gun Show, Walk-Friendly Newtown, Brixmor Shopping Center Traffic Study, North Sycamore Street Pedestrian Safety, Streaming Youtube Video for BOS Meetings, How to Spend American Rescue Funds, More...

This is my personal summary of the February 9, 2022, meeting of Newtown Township Board of Supervisors (BOS). This is not a complete nor an official summary. 

Agenda items:

• Public Comments - Comments on the Newtown Gun Show
• Reports of Committees, Boards and Commissions
  • Walk-Friendly Newtown
  • Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
• Engineer's Report
  • Brixmor Shopping Center Traffic Study Status
  • North Sycamore St Pedestrian Safety Update
• Solicitor’s Report - Resolution designating all American Rescue Plan Funds as “lost revenue”
• Online Streaming of BOS Meetings

At the February 9, 2022, Newtown Township Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting, Remington & Vernick Traffic Engineer Derrick Kennedy gave an update and answered questions pertaining the Brixmor Shopping Center traffic impact study and N Sycamore St pedestrian safety report.

At the September 22, 2021, Newtown Board of Supervisors public meeting, Township Engineer Leanna M. Colubriale gave updates on two projects: (1) Lower Dolington Road Multi-Use Trail and (2) Brixmor /Village at Newtown Shopping Center Traffic Study.

Solstice of Newtown officially opened its doors on Monday with a celebratory ribbon cutting ceremony just before noon and its first public dinner service in the evening.

On hand to welcome Bucks County’s newest restaurant were leaders of the Lower Bucks County Chamber of Commerce, State Senator Steve Santarsiero and Newtown Township Supervisors John Mack and Dennis Fisher.

The new-build 9,245 square-foot restaurant at the Village at Newtown Shopping Center is offering hyper-seasonal menus using ingredients at their peak from the best available locations.

Based on the philosophy of fresh, craveable food, as every seasonal solstice or equinox approaches (ie: the first official day of spring, summer, fall and winter), Solstice will unveil an updated menu including dishes that are reflective of what’s in season. And during each season Solstice will launch an ingredient-specific Peak of Season menu featuring one seasonal ingredient prepared and served in 3-4 different iterations. This special menu will only be available for a limited time while the ingredient is at its height of freshness and seasonality.

Solstice, a new restaurant coming to the Village at Newtown Shopping Center, has released an opening timeline and menu in advance of its local debut.

The restaurant will be opening to the public in early 2020, according to representatives. It will be a 9,245 square-foot indoor and outdoor dining spot located in the new building under construction on Durham Road.

According to representatives, it will offer "thoughtfully prepared, seasonally curated dishes" in a "dynamic social environment."

Solstice will offer a "city-like dining experience" with "modern, whimsical plating," according to Solstice representative Lisa Schwartz. The indoor dining room and bar will have 165 seats. A 2,500 -square-foot outdoor patio space will seat 92.

On sunny days, the indoor and outdoor dining rooms will merge "to create a dynamic, multi-sensory environment," according to Schwartz.

The patio will feature elements like a fire pit and an outdoor garden with seasonal herbs and vegetables to be used in the dishes.

Related (shows location):

• “Another New Restaurant Has Plans To Open At Village At Newtown”; http://sco.lt/7GvtIG

Newtown Township residents deserve amenities that make Newtown an attractive and vibrant place to live, work and do business.

Newtown Supervisors John Mack and Dennis Fisher have received many questions, concerns, and complaints about commercial and residential in Newtown Township, especially with regard to the renovation going on at the Village of Newtown Shopping Center, the potential for commercial development along Newtown Bypass, and the further development of high density housing. Fisher & Mack have selected the most-often asked questions to answer in this Newtown Patch article.

Read the article here...

The Newtown Township Board of Supervisors will consider an application for another new restaurant at the Village at Newtown Shopping Center during a meeting Wednesday [7 PM at 100 Municipal Drive, Newtown].

Solstice — a sub-franchise of Schula's Steakhouse — is seeking conditional use approval to open a 6,700-square-foot restaurant in the shopping center, Newtown Township Manager Micah Lewis said.

In November, the business received approval for its liquor license transfer. The liquor license was transferred from the Warrington Bertucci's, which closed in 2018 after the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

The application to be considered Wednesday is for the restaurant use, Lewis said. The restaurant will be located in a new building along Durham Road that is currently under construction, he noted.

The Village at Newtown "Shopping" Center is currently in the final phase of a 35 million dollar makeover that Brixmor Property Group - the owner - hopes will revitalize the center. The plan (shown above) was approved 5-0 by the Newtown Zoning Hearing Board on October 16, 2016. In attendance and voting were: Chairman Timothy Potero, Vice Chairman Michael Iapalucci, Secretary Robert Whartenby and members Shawn Ward and Brandon Wind. 

Yes, parking and traffic in the Center has been a mess for some time. Will things improve once construction is complete or will parking and traffic remain problems after all is said and done?

I don’t know if there is a DEFINITIVE answer to that question, but I do believe there are signs that all will be well in the Center eventually.

At least that seems to be the opinion of Allen Fidler, Chair of the Newtown Planning Commission although he acknowledges that not everyone will be happy in the end.

In response to a resident’s comments at the May 8, 2019, Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting, Mr. Fidler recounted the history of this project and explained the ultimate goal of Brixmor.

Listen to this podcast.

The food and beer scene in Newtown is growing, as Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant announced it will open a new location on South Eagle Road in Newtown.

Iron Hill is planning to open a 7,500-square-foot space in spring 2020 in the "Village at Newtown Shopping Center."

The Newtown location will be Iron Hill's 11th Pennsylvania outpost.

Located in the heart of Newtown and owned by the Brixmor Property Group, the brewery and restaurant will be joining several additions to the renovated shopping center.

The restaurant will be in the L-shaped addition along West Road, which is currently under construction. It will feature Iron Hill's signature on-site brewing facility as well as seating for approximately 350 including a bar area, dining room, and outdoor dining space.

Everyone is “Thrilled”!

"Iron Hill is thrilled to open our 11th Pennsylvania destination in Newtown in 2020," said Kevin Finn, co-founder of Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant.

"We are thrilled to welcome the Iron Hill team to the Newtown community," said Laura Parke-Carson, Vice President of Leasing for Brixmor Property Group.

See the seating & floor plan here: http://sco.lt/93N5Y8

Although the Village at Newtown shopping center is private property and the owners have the freedom to landscape as they see fit, Newtown does have a Subdivision Land Development code that, among other requirements, specifies the quantity and maximum height of trees along Township streets such as Durham Road.

Section 22-530 of that code specifies that "Street trees generally shall be at intervals not to exceed 25 feet along the street right-of-way as part of a residential or non-residential subdivision or land development, with trees alternating from side to side fifty-foot maximum spacing on any one side), or as otherwise specified by the Planning Commission.” It also says “Trees shall not at maturity obstruct overhead utilities.”

Thus, on Durham Road alongside the shopping center, the code calls for 25 trees. Does the Brixmor landscape plan comply with the code’s requirements?

Find out here...