Old School, New Beginnings: City Council Discusses Multi-Million Dollar Senior Living Complex to Replace Dickey Elementary
By Emily Wright
LOCK HAVEN— During the Lock Haven City Council meeting on Monday, December 9, Cyndi Walker, Building Code Official and Director of Permits and Licensing, presented details about a proposed 40-unit senior housing development on the former Dickey Elementary School property at 102 South Fairview Street. The proposal requires zoning approvals, and plans include demolishing the current school building to make way for the housing development and parking area.
“We’ve been working with Quandel Group for probably the last six months on the potential development of this site. They currently have a signed sales agreement with the current owner, Robert Maguire, with a contingency that they get the necessary approvals to move forward with this type of development,” Walker explained.
Quandel Group, the developer overseeing the project, has initiated preliminary steps by notifying neighboring property owners about a community outreach meeting, which took place earlier this month. Walker mentioned that turnout for the meeting was low, but a public meeting with the zoning hearing board regarding the housing development project is scheduled for next Tuesday, December 17, at 5:30 p.m. in council chambers at City Hall, 20 E. Church Street. Walker encouraged city council members and interested community members to attend.
The plan involves tearing down the existing structure to build a new 40-unit senior housing facility for individuals aged 62 and older. This facility will mainly offer one-bedroom units, along with approximately six two-bedroom units, tailored to the needs of senior residents. The proposal also includes an onsite parking area with 46 spaces.
“Funding for this project is anticipated to be through federal tax credits,” Walker stated. “Those tax credits put an age mandate on the residents for this property, so it is very strictly a 62 and older development,” she emphasized. Walker mentioned that she specifically asked Greg Quandel, Chief Executive and President of Quandel Enterprises, about whether a 62-year-old husband could live with his 61-year-old wife in the facility. The answer was no, as compliance with the tax credits requires all residents to be at least 62 years old.
The proposed project represents a $13 to $15 million investment and would be a taxable property. This marks a substantial increase in tax revenue for the city compared to its previous tax-exempt status as an elementary school.
Quandel Group plans to hire local vendors and contractors to carry out the project. Walker mentioned that they have already spoken with local contractors and have contacted her department to obtain contact information about local subcontractors who can handle various construction tasks, such as heating, electrical, and flooring, to construct the housing facility.
For the project to proceed, the developer needs certain approvals from the zoning hearing board. At the meeting on December 17, they intend to request a use variance. “A multi-family development is not one of the listed uses for a residential low-density zoning district, which they are right on the cusp of,” Walker explained. “Right across Bald Eagle Street it changes to residential medium-density, where this would be an allowable use.”
Council members discussed the possibility that the city’s zoning ordinance may need updates to better support this type of senior housing development, which the city plans to address through a comprehensive review of zoning regulations. Walker also noted that Quandel Group is also requesting that they be allowed to reduce the parking requirements for the facility from three spaces per unit to one space per unit, with an additional four spaces available. She mentioned that before the meeting, she reviewed ordinances from other municipalities in Clinton County for comparison and remarked, “I was shocked to find out that Woodward Township, Flemington Borough, Mill Hall, and Bald Eagle Area all have parking requirements that are tailored specifically to elderly housing.” She also discovered that State College, Williamsport, Bellefonte, and Bloomsburg implement a one-to-one parking ratio.
Walker conveyed that the proposed development would be a beneficial transition for the property rather than allowing the former elementary school to linger as a “white elephant” for the city. She highlighted the demand for this type of housing, noting that similar options in the area, such as Susquehanna Heights, have waitlists. “City staff sees this as a big advantage for a property that has the potential to be a white elephant in the city for years to come. We’ve got a major development group that’s interested in it and interested in making a $15 million investment in our city, so we’re hopeful that it moves forward,” Walker emphasized.
Overall, council members expressed their support for the project, viewing it as a positive redevelopment for the former school, which would also free up existing homes in the city’s housing market. “To me, this looks like a nice compromise and something that we can actually make a decent space out of,” City Mayor Joel Long remarked, later adding, “I think it looks like a nice plan, and I hope that the neighbors feel the same considering the changes in what’s being proposed compared to what would have been proposed before.”
Council member Tami Brannan pointed out that the facility’s location is ideal for this type of development, given its proximity to essential amenities for those over 62, such as a pharmacy, healthcare facility, and a grocery store, to name a few. These amenities are within a one-mile radius of the apartment facility, meeting the tax credit requirements for senior housing.
Regarding parking, which had previously been a concern for neighboring property owners, Brannan highlighted that the 46 parking spaces planned for the facility should sufficiently accommodate its residents. “This number of parking spots is equivalent to how many they would need for staff and people living there, because when you’re talking 62 and up, they are not going to have three cars per apartment,” she explained, noting that the residents are more likely to have only one or two vehicles.
Council member Barbara Masorti pointed out that the developer has assured that the facility would be professionally managed. “They assured us there will be a professional manager. The person’s not there 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but there is someone who is there on-site, who comes and goes and monitors what’s going on, who’s living there, who’s parking there, and those sorts of things,” she said.
The project developers’ next steps include seeking approval from the zoning hearing board at next week’s meeting. If approved, they will proceed with applying for federal tax credits, with a decision expected by January 2025. If everything goes as planned, bids for contractors are anticipated to be issued in late spring or early summer of 2025. With all necessary permits secured, the developers aim to start construction on the facility in early 2026.
