Halfway House Proposed for Lock Haven

Zoning Hearing Dec. 15 for Cree Drive Site

LOCK HAVEN – A Williamsport-based social services agency is pursuing establishment of a “halfway house/re-entry facility” proposed for construction across from Lock Haven Hospital.

The sponsoring agency is identified as Firetree, Ltd, founded in 1991 to provide transitional services to the drug and alcohol addicted.

City and hospital officials expressed surprise this week when they learned of the proposal, announced publicly through a legal ad in the Lock Haven Express.

Record phone calls to the Williamsport offices of Firetree seeking more information were not immediately returned.

The legal ad said a public hearing is set for City Hall on Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. as Firetree is seeking a conditional use zoning approval for construction of a halfway house/re-entry facility. The ad said an 8,000 square foot, two story building would be constructed at 25 Cree Drive “to house up to 80 males residents under 24 hr. supervision.”

A check at the Clinton County assessor’s office showed the lot at 25 Cree Drive is owned by an entity named Banca with an address of 800 W. Fourth St., Williamsport, the same address as the headquarters for Firetree. The vacant property, bordering on the Flemington borough line to the west, is adjacent to the Pine Haven residential apartments, also listed as 25 Cree Drive and also owned by Banca.