Levittown Lanes, a family-run bowling alley destroyed three years ago in a three-alarm fire, is now set to become an apartment complex, writes JD Mullane for the Bucks County Courier Times.
Falls Township supervisors gave the green light for a three-story, 24-unit apartment complex to be constructed at 8815 New Falls Road.
The one- and two-bedroom apartments will range from 800 to 1,500 square feet, with rents starting just over $2,000 per month.
“Well, over three years ago we lost our whole world,” said Mike Episcopo, son of longtime bowling alley owners Al and Mary Episcopo, during the supervisors’ meeting. “I’m asking for approval because I’m going to continue my parents’ legacy to my children and something that I can pass to them.”
The Episcopo family owned and operated the bowling alley for more than five decades. It was determined that opening a new bowling alley would likely not be profitable, as the industry is now dominated by large national chains that acquire family-run alleys only to then close them down.
“Even if we rebuilt, we’d end up having to buy our equipment from our competitors,” said Episcopo.
Read more about the transformation of Levittown Lanes into a new apartment complex in the Bucks County Courier Times.
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