South Whitehall commissioners granted preliminary approval on Feb. 3 to Atul Patel for major development of the northeast corner of the Hamilton and Cedar Crest Blvds. intersection.

The project includes preservation of the King George Inn for readaptive use as office space, as well as a 100-room extended stay hotel, pharmacy and bank.

Situated on a 5.36-acre tract in Dorneyville, the development, known as Hotel Hamilton, will have 192 parking spaces.

When Patel presented his original plans for the site some years ago, he intended to demolish the King George Inn.

In September 2013, residents filled the South Whitehall Township meeting room and expressed dismay at the thought of losing the Colonial tavern built in 1755.

Their outcry was so intense, commissioners, staff and Patel agreed to get together to assess the possibility of keeping the inn.

Township Manager Howard Kutzler explained the outcome, saying the township changed zoning requirements to work along with Patel to save the historic building.

“In return we’re getting a better place,” Kutzler said. “It will be a nice gateway. The client is making it a site worth seeing.”

Lindsay Newton, senior project manager with Newton Engineering, reported the tract has a history of flooding.

She described the extensive on-site system designed to transport stormwater to the downstream culvert that is part of the Shops at Cedar Point development.

In Patel’s original plan, the drainage collection system would have been in the spot where the King George Inn stands.

The proposed stormwater improvements will increase the capacity of existing pipes across Cedar Crest Boulevard and provide a significant reduction of the water surface depth on the east side of Cedar Crest Boulevard in times of flooding, according to the engineer’s report.

The property will be required to have minimum 15-foot wide buffer strips with screening on the eastern and northern borders.

The quantity, locations, and species of trees for the development have been approved by the township Landscape and Shade Tree Commission.

Board President Christina Tori Morgan expressed approval of the project.

“It will give a whole new look to this intersection,” Morgan said.

The developer will need to return to commissioners for final approval.