High Real Estate Group, over a two year period, lobbied the Manheim Twp. Board of Commissioners to change the zoning of the land for their planned shopping center, “The Crossings”, from industrial to a new zoning category proposed by HREG, named “planned commercial development”. After receiving conditional approval on a 3-2 vote by the Commissioners, HREG successfully lobbied the same board to make an exception to the township’s flood plain ordinance so that HREG could build on a flood plain that drains into Conestoga Creek.
It appears that HREG may also have lobbied Rachel Gallagher, general manager of Park City Center, to gain her approval of “The Crossings” shopping center. It is apparent that a representative of HREG spoke with Ms. Gallagher, otherwise how would Ms. Gallaher have known, as she told NewsLanc, that “the Crossings has already drawn interest from outside retailers that the [Park City] mall would not have room to accommodate”.
At the very least, Ms. Gallaher’s comments suggest a serious conflict of interest. Her statements give the impression that she is working for HREG rather than for her employer – Park City Center and its corporate management, General Growth Properties
I hope I am wrong, but I would hate to see Park City become a vast wasteland of cracked asphalt filled with weeds growing through it. Can Lancaster County support both, especially being so close together? In my view Park City has shown that it can compete on a National level with the vast improvements over the past several years. I used always travel to the King of Prussia Mall at Christmas, and this year I have to say that Park City has to be on par with the King of Prussia Mall.