ORWIGSBURG - In a verbal decision Thursday, the Orwigsburg Zoning Hearing Board granted a special exception for Barefield Development Corp. to construct elderly apartments in the former FesslerUSA building.
Craig Shields, CEO of Barefield Development Corp., is seeking to turn the old, vacant 40,000-square-foot building at 216 W. Independence St. into affordable housing for people 62 and older who meet income criteria, pass background checks and other required conditions.
"It's a great project," he said.
Space for the Orwigsburg Area Free Public Library is also part of the plans.
In response to a question from his attorney, Bill Reiley, Shields described the proposed plan for the site.
"The overall plan is to convert it to about 20 elderly apartments and also carve out a space for the Orwigsburg library," Shields said.
The plans call for a mixture of one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments, Shields said, which would be smoke-free and pet-free unless medical reasons dictate that a pet is needed. The apartments could be 1,000 square feet each.
Features such as security cameras and a buzzer system would be part of the design, he said.
The corporation has an 18-month option to purchase the property for $325,000. It is owned by H.H. Fessler Knitting Co.
Barefield will apply for tax credits to the state Housing Finance Agency for the approximate $6 million project. They may know in spring if the credits are awarded, which are then sold to eligible buyers to reduce their tax liability. The cash would then be given to Barefield.
Construction could start in September or October and take a year to finish, Shields said previously.
About 20 people attended the meeting at borough hall and asked questions about who would be able to move into the apartments, handicap accessibility, parking and other issues.
Parking spaces would be available for residents in a lot close to the building. Obtaining another lot nearby for additional use might be possible, Shields said.
Sheila Deibert, a borough resident and owner of a borough business, came to express her views.
"I really don't have any problems with the senior living place because I absolutely love it. I think it's a great idea," Deibert said. "I just worry about where it's at. I worry about how the seniors are going to function around there."
She went on to say she wanted to make sure there were adequate measures in place like sidewalks and other necessities, and that the borough would not be stuck taking care of such issues as snow removal.
"That's my main concern. The handicapped accessibility around the building" and that it stays in the proposed designation for elderly housing, Deibert said.
Also, the zoning hearing board ruled to grant the special exception of "certain conditional requirements" regarding library parking, board solicitor Iles Cooper said.
After the hearing, zoning hearing board chairman Richard Stein said it is very rare that the board acts in such a manner. He can only recall one time it did so before. The board considered all facts in making its decision, he said.
A written decision will be issued within the required 45-day time limit as required by law.
In other action, the board granted the special exception and two variances for 12 8-foot cellular antennas by Verizon Wireless on top of the borough water tower on Ridgeview Drive. The hearing was held Nov. 20 about the antennas. The borough council approved a lease for the antennas in August.