JOHNSTOWN -More changes could be coming to the city's Route 30A business section, including a T.J. Maxx store in a proposed 23,400-square-foot addition on the north end of the Johnstown Shopping Center.
T.J. Maxx of Framingham, Mass., has about 1,000 locations and sells brand-name family apparel, accessories, shoes, gifts and jewelry at discount prices, according to its website.
Carrie Garfield, a spokesman for T.J. Maxx's parent company, TJX Companies, said today she could not comment until she could verify a lease had been signed.
The city Planning Board on Feb. 7 is scheduled to review a site plan for the proposed addition to the Johnstown Shopping Center at 215 N. Comrie Ave. City Fire Chief Bruce Heberer and Mayor Sarah Slingerland today confirmed the proposed addition would house a T.J. Maxx store. TJX also has applied for a building permit.
"It's an excellent project," Slingerland stated.
Other changes also have been proposed along North Comrie Avenue, Heberer said. A Verizon Wireless store plans to move into the former Patriot Federal Bank building at the entrance of the Johnstown Mall, and Rent-A-Center will be moving into the former Video World space at the shopping center, next to Romana's. Video World relocated across the highway to the mall.
The addition would be constructed by Pennsylvania-based developer Michael Wachs for Johnstown Comrie Associates LLC. Wachs owns the Johnstown Shopping Center -where businesses such as Fashion Bug, Dollar Tree and Olympia are located -as well as the Johnstown Mall across Route 30A. He could not be reached for comment today.
Plans call for smooth-face, 12-foot concrete block walls to match the adjacent building. The roof would be steel and the interior would have drywall partitions and acoustical ceilings. The plan calls for additional parking that would be created to meet city zoning criteria, the engineers stated.
Heberer, the city's city's code enforcement officer, said National Structures contacted his office two weeks ago with details about the T.J. Maxx.
Slingerland praised Wachs for his many projects in the Route 30A business section the last several years.
"He's a very active developer in this business," she said. "He's been a good mall owner for us."
She said both the shopping center and mall have a "nice blend" of stores already, and T.J. Maxx will add to the diversity.
"Everyone is excited about it," Slingerland said of the new store.
Michael Anich covers Johnstown and Fulton County news. He can be reached at johnstown@leaderherald.com.