Jul 22, 2015 By Suzanne Elliott 2 min read

The Peters Township Zoning Board granted the owner of Dunkin’ Donuts franchises in Southwestern Pennsylvania a 15-foot variance on the parking lot of the Eat’n Park on Washington Road, a move that makes a potential Peters Township location one step closer to reality.

Heartland Restaurant Group LLC, the Strip District-based owner of the area doughnut franchises, wants to construct a 1,950-square-foot Dunkin’ Donuts that will have a drive-up window, along with 3,000 square feet of retail space on the site of the existing Eat’n Park located at 3528 Washington Road. The restaurant, which has been at that location since 1960, will relocate and become the anchor tenant of the $4 million Peters Township Marketplace now under construction less than a mile away at the intersection of Washington and Hidden Valley roads.

Dunkin’ Donuts left Washington County years ago, but returned to Canonsburg in early May when it opened a location on Cavasina Drive in the former Long John Silver’s restaurant.

With the approval of the variance, the next step for Heartland Restaurant Group LLC is to ask Peters Township Council for a variance to construct a retaining wall higher than six feet at the site, said Ed Zuk, Peters planning director.

The time frame of the relocation of the Eat’n Park and the construction of the Dunkin’ Donuts is a bit unclear at this point.

Madison Realty Group LLC, the Pittsburgh-based developer of Peters Township Marketplace, has said it expects the Eat’n Park will be open by the end of the year. Besides a 7,400-square-foot restaurant, that project will also include 2,500 square feet of retail space.

Officials from Heartland said the existing Eat’n Park will be torn down and a new building will be constructed.

Heartland Restaurant Group has 37 Dunkin’ Donuts – with more planned – in Southwestern Pennsylvania.