On Monday, Bensalem council unanimously approved a $3.5 million offer from Lifestyle Healthcare Group to purchase the former Trevose State Police barracks and driver exam center, which closed in 2004.

The 11-acre property is located near the Neshaminy Mall and bordered by Route 1, New Trevose Road and Neshaminy Boulevard. The state police moved across the street to 3501 Neshaminy Blvd. and a PennDOT drivers license center opened at 4201 Neshaminy Blvd.

The township will receive 20 percent of the sale (about $700,000), of which $200,000 will go to the Bensalem Economic Development Corporation (EDC), an independent agency that marketed the property for sale.

EDC Director told Bensalem Patch that Lifestyle's was one of two bids received on the property. Lincoln Technical Institute was the other. Its bid was $3.2 million.

“Nine parties picked up bid packages for the property and we received those two bids,” Flocco said.

He said the EDC got control of the state-owned property about a year ago.

“Part of the agreement with the state included a minimum price of $2.8 million for the property,” Flocco said.

Flocco said Lifestyle pans to put a five-story medical facility on the site.

“The sale is expected to close on Dec. 15 and the group hopes to put shovel to dirt by the first quarter of 2012,” Flocco said.

He estimated the project to bring 100-200 jobs to the township.

“This development can also bring a ripple effect to local businesses such as gas stations, restaurants and hotels,” he said. “In addition, this kind of development doesn’t put a burden on Bensalem schools as residential development would.”

According to the Lifestyle website, the center will combine family practice medicine along with all of the specialties usually found in hospitals.