2012 Year in Review: Forks/Palmer Businesses

The Park Plaza at Sullivan Trail in Forks Township was the main attraction in terms of business development in 2012 for Forks and Palmer townships.

The plaza, converted from an old retail outlet, rose from the ashes to sparkle as a centerpiece of Forks' business district.

But while the building sparkled, its space wasn't filled immediately by tenants.

A branch of Easton Hospital, a hair salon and two recreational businesses geared to children -- GymTime and Bounce U -- are the only tenants so far. Plans to add a vineyard store fell through.

For the Palmer Park Mall, there were many comings and goings.

Four new stores opened and several closed during the year. The mall welcomed a new book store, a toy store and Spencer's while it lost one eatery and a shoe store.

Meanwhile, Palmer Township set plans in motion for a Sheetz gas/convenience store and also got ready to welcome a new CVS along Route 248 as the new year begins.

The Business and Commerce Association of Forks Township even held two business roundtables during the year to discuss how to better promote township businesses.

Palmer Township officials put together a plan of how the Route 33 interchange project might spur development. Officials predicted that the project could help create more than 5,000 jobs if retail, commercial and industrial businesses come down the pike.

And a great deal of discussion centered on what would happen to the Braden Airpark in Forks Township.

The Lehigh Valley Airport Authority is considering selling its properties to reduce its massive debt and Forks officials are worried about how Braden Airpark might be developed if it's sold.