Southgate redevelopment: First look at Keystone Health's planned 'Catherine Street Center'

The first project in the redevelopment of Southgate Shopping Center should be completed in less than two years when Keystone Health opens its long-awaited community health center in Chambersburg's west end.

The land development plan for the Keystone Catherine Street Center was presented Wednesday afternoon at a meeting of the Southgate Neighborhood Advisory Committee, a volunteer board formed to steer the redevelopment of the long-struggling shopping center in the Third Ward into a mixed-use neighborhood.

The Planning and Zoning Commission will review the plan at its meeting on Sept. 6, followed by Borough Council on Sept. 11. Keystone will be able to officially move forward with the plan after Borough Council approves it.

The health center will be built on the now-empty two-acre lot where a building that last housed Gold's Gym was demolished this summer. Located at the south end of Southgate, "Parcel A" stands between Water Street to the east and the private drive that runs along the main strip mall in Southgate (which some people refer to as Cedar Street or Cedar Avenue).

The land development plan calls for the Keystone Catherine Street Center to face West Catherine Street, which would be a change from the traditional setup of all Southgate buildings facing the shared parking lot. Based on photos, the building will look similar to Keystone's buildings off Fifth Avenue.

The property will have 151 parking spaces, and a driveway allowing easy access to the main entrance.

There will also be a driveway at the back of the building and a dedicated ambulance bay.

The three-story health care center will host an array of medical services and support spaces, according to Keystone Health Vice President John McElwee, who also serves on the Southgate Neighborhood Advisory Committee.

A primary care practice on the third floor will be a vital aspect for the community, particularly as Keystone plans to participate in a family practice residency program WellSpan Health is set to begin in 2025.

The program overall will build up to 18 residents over a period of three years. A third of them will work at Keystone, which will host two the first year, four the second year and six the third year, McElwee said.

Joanne Cochran, the founder, president and CEO of Keystone Health, said the community has been struggling to find medical providers.

"By having our own residents, we can guarantee this community will have doctors and providers forever. It's the reason why I'm so motivated. I'm looking to make sure the health care needs of our community are met for a long time," she said.

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Also in the Keystone Catherine Street Center, there will be a small retail pharmacy, an urgent care and an urgent care office focused on behavioral health on the first floor, and the second floor will house a dentistry practice and community outreach services.

"We want to make sure there is sustainable health care in our community, including behavioral health," Cochran said.

WellSpan's residency program is to begin July 1, 2025, which is also the date Keystone hopes to open its new health center, McElwee said.

When will other redevelopment work begin in Southgate?

The Keystone Health project will likely be the only physical work happening for quite a while.

In July, the Chambersburg Area Municipal Authority (the entity that purchased the 14 acres of Southgate Shopping Center from former owner Paran Management to guide the redevelopment in cooperation with the Borough of Chambersburg) approved extending the deadline by which developers may submit proposals to redevelop one or more parcels within Southgate.

"Following good discussions with prospective developers, it was the recommendation of staff to wait until 2024 and allow more work to be done on infrastructure projects before the site was offered for re-sale," reads a statement on the Borough of Chambersburg's website. "It was the conclusion of staff that the operation of the shopping center was covering all its own expenses and further, there was much more work to be done on a variety of projects to prepare the site for re-sale. Therefore, the CAMA Board approved an extension of the Request for Proposal until July 31, 2024."

CAMA has also started discussing turning the private drive that runs along the front of the Southgate stores, between West Washington and West Catherine streets, into a borough-owned street, according to Borough Manager Jeff Stonehill. The route is legally a street on its north end where it meets West Loudon Street and where it continues south of West Catherine Street, and for the short section beside Big Lots.

Among the work required for it to be a real street, the speed bumps would be removed and a sidewalk would be added.

In addition, there has been discussion over what to name the route, parts of which are called Cedar Street on Google Maps. However, it was all called Cedar Avenue before an ordinance in 1965 designated part of it a private drive, according to Phil Wolgemuth, deputy borough manager and land use and community development director.

Amber South can be reached at asouth@publicpinionnews.com.

This article originally appeared on Chambersburg Public Opinion: Keystone Health aims for 2025 opening of Southgate facility