Plans for a group of three commercial retail and service buildings are under way in Bethel Park.

At Monday's meeting, council approved the development of Route 88 Investors, which plans to erect single-story buildings on the site of the former Columbia Gas facility on Route 88.

"We have to go to PennDOT now, and once the permits have all been approved we'll get moving," said Marc Schein, development manager for 88 Investors.

"Because of the uncertainty, until all of our permits have gone through, we have not hired an architect. We're probably going to hire an architect in the next week or so," he said.

Matt Bagaley, a project manager with Gateway Engineers, also has been involved.

The Columbia Gas building, which currently sits at the back end of the 7.14-acre property and has been empty for several years, will be demolished before any construction begins.

Because of its location along a busy section of Route 88, traffic patterns were a concern to Bethel Park officials, said municipal planner Jerry Duke.

"It was probably the major discussion of the review. It is going to add traffic and they're to mitigate it, adding signals," he said.

"They're required to not make things worse."

Another business, Route 88 Storage, overlooks the site from a nearby hillside. Some of the owners of the storage facility also are involved in the new development, Mr. Schein said.

The three new buildings will comprise roughly 62,400 square feet, the largest of which is planned at 44,000 square feet.

The land is zone C-2, which provides a wide variety of uses.

Although the developers don't yet have an anchor tenant, the two smaller buildings are expected to draw "some in-line retail space, some service retain, but more mom-and-pop stuff," said Mr. Schein.

One out-parcel building is in the works as well. Mr. Schein said it's likely the space would perhaps be used for a bank or restaurants.