By Courtney McEachern

The official grand opening ceremony was held on Oct. 9 for the long-awaited $75 million, 490,000 square-foot shopping center, Exeter Commons, located along Perkiomen Avenue.

“Seventeen months ago we gathered here for the groundbreaking ceremony to signify the start of the construction for this great project,” said Kevin Trapper of The Goldberg Group, a real estate development group who worked on the project with real estate investment and development firm Ironwood Property Group. “It certainly takes collaboration and teamwork between the developer and all the various agencies at the township, county and state level,” Trapper added.

The ceremony kicked-off in the parking lot of the shopping center with the Exeter Township High School Marching Band entertaining the crowd with Beatles’ music.

The band also played the National Anthem, which was sung by Exeter’s Outstanding Woman Victoria Scheirer.

During the ceremony, Exeter officials, political figures and those who worked on the project, spoke about how their experiences with the retail space and how the center has been a blessing for Exeter Township.

“It is truly, in my opinion, the saving grace Exeter Township desperately needed,” said Exeter Township Board of Supervisors Chairwoman, Donna Starr.

According to Berks County Commissioner Mark Scott, the retail center has helped better the Route 422 intersection, created jobs and provided funds for Exeter Township School District.

Scott, a critic turned supporter for the shopping center, said “this wasn’t through money from private developers. We used dedicated sales tax and property taxes and also some grant monies and private capital to put together an $18 million package that made a once problematic intersection that backed up cars nearly a mile into fast style transportation road that it has become.”

He also said the shopping center created around 800 jobs and “the school district has been a tremendous beneficiary of this far more than was anticipated.”

“They were willing to give up 75 percent of the tax revenues that have accrued from this development and because so much additional value has been created here, I’m told they are only going to have to give up something like 36 percent and that they will be receiving this year and hence forth an additional $600,000 a year, something that all school districts certainly love to have,” Scott added.

Senator Michael O’Pake was not able to make the ceremony because he was voting on the state budget in Harrisburg but sent his chief of staff to speak on his behalf.

“The citizens of Exeter Township can be proud of the these things being accomplished in their community. I was pleased to be able to play a role in making this community improvement project a reality,” said O’Pake in his letter.

Exeter Commons is home to 18 retailers, 16 are already open for business. The remaining two, Lowe’s and Wachovia Bank, will be opening Oct. 23 and Nov. 5 respectfully.