Volvo Road Machinery Inc. has submitted plans for constructing an office building at its Shippensburg factory.

The company plans a two-story building and a 4,900-square-foot addition to its existing plant, according to the plans. Both will be built on the existing campus in the borough.

The Borough of Shippensburg and Southampton Township, Franklin County, received the land development plans on Tuesday.

A traffic study by Grove Miller Engineering Inc., indicated that "a traffic signal will likely be warranted" at Molly Pitcher Highway (U.S. 30) and Rowe Road, the road that leads to Volvo. The company plans to coordinate with the borough and township to acquire a state permit.

The entrance to Volvo will be opposite the driveway to Shippensburg Area Senior High School.

In March, Volvo announced a $100 million investment that included a customer and demonstration center and an office building to house a regional sales headquarters, rental offices and a training center. A paint system building and compressor room are under construction.

The company has announced plans to relocate its North American sales headquarters and rental business from Asheville, N.C., to Shippensburg by September. The move will add 220 positions to the site, which employs more than 700.

A company spokesman could not be reached by presstime.

Volvo acquired the business and property from Ingersoll-Rand in April 2007 for $1.3 billion, then spent $30 million on a 200,000-square-foot expansion completed in June 2010. The factory makes soil and asphalt compactors, motor graders, pavers and screeds, and milling machines.

The 36,000-square-foot office building will be constructed on an existing parking lot. About 112 parking spaces will be constructed in the township and 136 in the borough. According to the plan, the project will reduce the amount of "impervious area" on the site, which means there will be less parking lot/rooftop space.

The plan does not include development of the 25-acre tract that borders the railroad in the township northwest of the plant.

The municipalities' engineers are reviewing the plans. The Shippensburg Planning Commission is scheduled to review the plans at its Feb. 8 meeting. Borough council may consider the plans as early as Feb. 21.

Southampton Township Planning Commission is to review the plans on Feb. 21 and supervisors could consider them as early as Feb. 28. The planning commissions recommend to council and supervisors whether the plans should be approved or rejected. The Franklin County Planning Commission also reviews the plans.

Source: Public Opinion