Crowd expected for review of American Revolution Center plans

A large turnout is expected tonight for the first formal review of the American Revolution Center's development plans for its land in Lower Providence Township.

Plans set for review by the township planning commission call for a three-story 142,000-square-foot museum and a four-story 145,000-square-foot conference center with up to 99 rooms of lodging. The American Revolution Center would be within the official boundaries of Valley Forge National Historical Park.

The plans also show nearly 700 parking spaces for cars, 13 spaces for recreational vehicles, and 17 spaces for buses and shuttle vehicles. The main entrance would be from Pawlings Road near the Route 422 overpass.

According to the traffic plan, the main access route to the site would be from the Oaks exit at Route 422 onto Egypt Road, and then on to a private road through the Marketplace at Oaks/Route 422 Business Center in Upper Providence Township. Visitors would cross the Perkiomen Creek on a privately owned bridge before reaching Pawlings Road.

ARC officials are also hoping for combined preliminary and final approval tonight for a 1,700-square-foot trailhead building with electricity and bathrooms.

Because of the expected crowd, the meeting will be held in the Arcola Middle School, 4000 Eagleville Rd., Eagleville, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Drawings and studies will be displayed in the school's lobby an hour before the meeting starts.