Story #73 is profile on a special local project.

In the later 1980’s, SSM was involved in a special project.

Check out the press release from December of 1989:

SSM designing site for $30 million project

Developers and local officials broke ground at the rail yard site of the former Reading Railroad freight station shortly before Thanksgiving to get a $30 million village of factory outlets under way. The site of the 20-acre complex, called Reading Station is being designed by SSM and will encompass 250,000 square feet of 100 upscale shops and gourmet restaurants. This complex will open in the fall of 1990, creating nearly 1,000 jobs.

SSM Chairman Harry Tobler said, "We are pleased to play a major role in this unique development. Reading Station, in my opinion, could be on of the great projects in factory-direct outlets in the country."

Engineers, planners, surveyors, landscape architects, and environmental specialist from all of the Reading-based operating groups are participating in this project to design the greatly changed site. This work will include planning, landscape architecture, and engineering for roadway access and parking.

Additional engineering will be provided for storm drainage facilities, sanitary sewer collection and solid waste disposal systems. Water distribution and fire protection systems are being designed by SSM as well. This technical group also performed an environmental assessment of the property and monitored the removal of oil tanks and electric transformers. Air and soil samples were analyzed by our labs. in addition, SSM's traffic engineers were called on to perform traffic signalization design and to obtain occupancy permits. Land planners and zoning expers from SSM worked closely with local government authorities to facilitate local acceptance and to obtain required permits.

As planned, the 20 acres will be landscape and turned into an outdoor village, surrounding a Station square central courtyard with rows of shops on three sides. Located throughout the square will be railroad cars and railroad memorabilia. The developers hope someday to regain use ofthe railroad for passengers and attract tourists from all over the east coast.

It’s now more than 40 years later, and the SSM team is working at the Reading Station location again for a new project!

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