Sheetz eyes new store location on Greensburg's East Pittsburgh Street

Greensburg soon could have another Sheetz store.

The Altoona-based company is proposing to build a new convenience store and gas station at 770 E. Pittsburgh St., near the intersection of Humphrey Road at the city’s eastern border.

The city zoning hearing board on Wednesday is expected to consider a request by Sheetz for variances needed to develop the store on a site now occupied by a multi-tenant plaza known as the Davis Center.

SeaBase Family Fun Center, a plaza tenant, said on its Facebook page that it does not intend to close. It said construction plans at the property “include a new facility on site for us as well, which we’re super excited about.”

Joe Anthony, who handles property management for the plaza owner, confirmed the convenience store has been proposed for the site. He referred questions about the project to Sheetz, which did not immediately respond with details.

City planning director Jeff Raykes said it appears the proposed Sheetz construction would be roughly in the middle of the existing parking area, with six fuel pumping islands located at the front. He noted full plans and a land development application for the proposed convenience store have yet to be submitted.

He doesn’t expect that to happen before the company’s variance request is resolved.

He said the variance sought by Sheetz includes “a standard list of things. Most of it revolves around landscaping requirements.”

The convenience chain also is seeking a variance from signage, parking, shade tree, maximum height, lighting and area requirements at the property, which is in the city’s C-1 neighborhood shopping district.

As for access from surrounding roads, Raykes said, “There would be some minor modifications, but it will look and feel pretty much the same.”

The plaza can be accessed from Pittsburgh Street at the front and from Humphrey Road (Route 130) at the rear.

Raykes said it doesn’t appear that the Sheetz construction would displace the AAMCO car care business, located just east of the Davis Center.

The Craftique Collections store, which displayed the wares of multiple crafters and artists, is no longer operating at the Davis Center. According to related Facebook posts, a successor business, Craftique Corner, opened in early June along Georges Station Road in Hempfield, near Vallozzi’s restaurant.

Craftique Corner could not be reached for comment.

Westmoreland Casemanagement and Supports, an agency that handles behavioral health client intake and other services, is transitioning from the Davis Center to a new address, 134 Industrial Park Road in Hempfield. The agency’s Supports Coordination Organization and Early Intervention Services departments are operating at the new address, but the Behavioral Health Department won’t move from the Davis Center to the new location until July 3, according to Dawn Hixson, program specialist.

A PennDOT driver license center moved from the Davis Center to Jeannette’s Lowry Avenue in 2021.

The center’s sole tenant from 1963 to 1977 was Greensburg’s now-defunct Sears department store. The store moved to 770 E. Pittsburgh St. from the corner of Main and Otterman streets. In 1977, Sears moved again, helping to anchor Hempfield’s then-new Westmoreland Mall, where the store closed in 2019.

According to Westmoreland County records, BI Davis LLC and BI Greensburg LLC, both of Englewood Cliffs, N.J., purchased several adjoining properties along East Pittsburgh Street and property on Stark Avenue from M&J Partners for a combined $9.8 million in August 2021. The parcels include the Davis Center, the adjacent Shop ‘n Save supermarket and a neighboring plaza anchored by an Ollie’s Bargain Outlet.

Despite the names, the new owners are not affiliated with the Davis family that previously operated the Davis Supermarket there, according to Marilyn Davis.

Other area Sheetz stores include one in Greensburg, at routes 119 and 819; another on Route 119 in South Greensburg; and one along Route 30 in Hempfield, just east of Slate Run Road.