Southern York County Life

The former Fypon plant in Stewartstown would be partially torn down under a $15.5 million proposal to construct apartments for low- to moderate-income seniors at the site.

http://www.yorkdispatch.com/local/ci_7330036

Those of you who live near there, what do you think about this project?  Being a project for seniors it may not be as much a problem, but the words “low income apartments” sends chills up my spine. I’ve seen what low income housing can do to an area.

My mom is in a really nice low-moderate income senior housing in Sykesville, MD.  Low-moderate income can be scary in the public housing market, but in the senior market it is more of an indication that the development will work with seniors to charge rent based on social security and pension incomes.

The Bel Air, MD area is filling up quickly with these types of apartments and they have been quite successful and quite attractive to the community.  I hope that this project is the same.

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As far as I know, the developer of that hasnt said a word or submitted anything but rough plans in quite a while.  It was as if the guy just disappeared.  Anything new on this Mr. B?

Slimins - 01 November 2007 10:59 AM

I haven’t read much on this, is there any chance in fighting it? “but the words “low income apartments” sends chills up my spine.” I’m right there with you on this, I don’t want this in the town. I’ve seen way to many problems with “low income” housing, seniors or not.

Yeah, let’s fight it without know what it is!  I hate that stuff that I don’t know a thing about!

Folks, there are no firm plans submitted on this yet, just lots of discussion and meeting.  I believe the developer in question might be attending next Mondays council meeting, not completely sure about that though.  If you have concerns I urge you to contact the Borough office to see if it will be discussed at upcoming Council or Planning Commission meetings and attend to give input. 

The below is some paraphrased information from the last Planning Commission meeting where it was discussed....

This project is being presented as a Congregate Senior Living Facility and is similar to some other facilities in the area, one of the closest being Shrewsbury Courtyard II.  The concept consists of senior ages 55 and older living (noone under 55 could live in the building) in green buildings with geothermal heating and cooling systems.  There will be communal dining, a community room, fitness center, hair salon, game room, laundry, chapel and outdoor courtyard.  The goal is to offer high quality housing at a moderate cost.  The units would all be 1 to 2 bedroom with a minium of 500 square feet including a kitchenette and the qualifying income would be less than $32,000.  This will not be assisted living or an apartment building.  The site would include a supportive service staff on location that assists in coordinating transportation for the residents.  That staff will not be administering medicine or assisting in bathing of residents.  The staff is not 24 hour staff and residents would have pull cords in case of emergency that would be linked to emergency services.  The trees on the Hill Street side are to be preserved, and while the old metal buildings would come down, the historic factory building would remain.  All the rooftops are planned for the same height as the factory roof.

Please understand that this whole thing is still early in the game and no formal plans have been submitted yet.  Let’s not all go crazy and start fighting a project that the final parameters aren’t even decided on yet, especially one that could clean up an overgrown and unused area of our Borough and possibly provide a nice senior living option in our area.  Let’s wait for plans, see what is being presented, and then continue the discussions.

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I would rather see senior housing than a delapidated building behind my house (especially if they are leaving the trees). My only concern is that they want to put an emergency access road through that comes out onto Church Street.  Traffic on Church Street is bad enough as it is.  If it is truely an emergency road that would be gated and only opened upon emergency that is fine with me.  I worry about a road that is open to the public making my street worse which would probably make our property worth less.

Rabear - 01 November 2007 11:55 AM

I would rather see senior housing than a delapidated building behind my house (especially if they are leaving the trees). My only concern is that they want to put an emergency access road through that comes out onto Church Street.  Traffic on Church Street is bad enough as it is.  If it is truely an emergency road that would be gated and only opened upon emergency that is fine with me.  I worry about a road that is open to the public making my street worse which would probably make our property worth less.

If you live on an adjacent property you will be contacted when plans are submitted so you know when the plans are being discussed at a meeting.  There have been previous concerns about access to and from Church Street and the traffic it would create.  Please stay tuned in so you can voice these concerns when the time comes.

Slimins - 01 November 2007 11:53 AM

markG - 01 November 2007 11:26 AM

Slimins - 01 November 2007 10:59 AM

I haven’t read much on this, is there any chance in fighting it? “but the words “low income apartments” sends chills up my spine.” I’m right there with you on this, I don’t want this in the town. I’ve seen way to many problems with “low income” housing, seniors or not.

Yeah, let’s fight it without know what it is!  I hate that stuff that I don’t know a thing about!

Well Mark, the description of “low to moderate income sapartments” is more than enough to go off of for me. Maybe not you, but I have my opinions and what I believe, and I can go off anything including that short description if I so choose.

I agree that you can have an opinion, and sorry that I went off a bit, but I think that it important to see the details before we make assumptions.  Chris’s post is a bit more informative, and I would think that having a development like that would be a nice addition to the area.  It is surely better than a falling down factory that will never see production in it again.  A quality +55 community is much better than having an open to anyone subsidized “projects” type place for sure.

[quote author="Slimins" date="1193954024]the description of “low to moderate income sapartments” is more than enough to go off of for me.

Sorry Slim, but it’s not for me.  The representatives of this municipality, both volunteer and elected have a responsibility to go through the process.........see the plans, discuss the plans vs. what is allowed in the zone and allowed per the ordinance.  Zoning hearings, engineer plan reviews, submission of plans to York County Planning.....that only scratches the surface on a plan like this.  Again, this is only the very beginning of that process.

Jumping to conclusions over a newspaper article when there isn’t even anything firm submitted or on the table yet is foolish at this early stage.  Stay connected, stay involved, attend meetings where it will be discussed, give your input, we consider it valuable and it is appreciated.

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Chris_McGraw - 01 November 2007 12:11 PM

[quote author="Slimins" date="1193954024]the description of “low to moderate income sapartments” is more than enough to go off of for me.

Sorry Slim, but it’s not for me.  The representatives of this municipality, both volunteer and elected have a responsibility to go through the process.........see the plans, discuss the plans vs. what is allowed in the zone and allowed per the ordinance.  Zoning hearings, engineer plan reviews, submission of plans to York County Planning.....that only scratches the surface on a plan like this.  Again, this is only the very beginning of that process.

Jumping to conclusions over a newspaper article when there isn’t even anything firm submitted or on the table yet is foolish at this early stage.  Stay connected, stay involved, attend meetings where it will be discussed, give your input, we consider it valuable and it is appreciated.

Well said, Chris!  I hope that the council takes a couple of field trips to see how successful senior housing that sounds similar to this plan has been in other communities.  Like I said in a previous post, Bel Air, Md is doing extremely well with several (probably 8-10) very nice affordable senior housing developments.  Our population is aging quickly and I am glad that developers are being proactive to the needs that will soon be on many of us.  I am only in my 40’s but I know that the the boomer generation is going to have more and more of a need for quality senior housing.  I have read in the past that Pennsylvania is only second to Florida in states that cater to the retirement age demographic.  I guess that is where the lottery money is supposed to go.

Chris_McGraw - 01 November 2007 12:11 PM

[quote author="Slimins" date="1193954024]the description of “low to moderate income sapartments” is more than enough to go off of for me.

Jumping to conclusions over a newspaper article when there isn’t even anything firm submitted or on the table yet is foolish at this early stage.  Stay connected, stay involved, attend meetings where it will be discussed, give your input, we consider it valuable and it is appreciated.

The conclusion I would jump to after reading the newspaper article is that it sounds rather nice.  It builds the tax base, money would be spent at the Saubels, it gives the elderly a place to call home. 

And the design sounds attractive, the way they are talking about preserving the old brick factory and matching the new buildings to it.

Good Gravy!! 

I hope when you all are retired, and maybe have lost some of your retirement because you were laid-off, bad investments, whatever, and you Social Security isn’t enough to get by on (please pardon me while I laugh at the thought it will still be around then)...I hope someone builds a NEW moderately priced community for you to live in. 

With the cost of living going up, our taxes through the roof, seniors probably can’t afford the housing in town.  If we don’t give them an affordable place to live, pretty soon you’ll all be complaining that the seniors are ‘hanging around town with nothing to do’

Besides, if it’s going to utilize some abandoned overgrown space, isn’t it somehow beneficial to the community?  Somehow, I doubt we’ll have 4000+ seniors flocking to our area because of the boom in moderately priced housing!! 

Bobby102 - 01 November 2007 01:46 PM

Good Gravy!! 

I hope when you all are retired, and maybe have lost some of your retirement because you were laid-off, bad investments, whatever, and you Social Security isn’t enough to get by on (please pardon me while I laugh at the thought it will still be around then)...I hope someone builds a NEW moderately priced community for you to live in. 

With the cost of living going up, our taxes through the roof, seniors probably can’t afford the housing in town.  If we don’t give them an affordable place to live, pretty soon you’ll all be complaining that the seniors are ‘hanging around town with nothing to do’

Besides, if it’s going to utilize some abandoned overgrown space, isn’t it somehow beneficial to the community?  Somehow, I doubt we’ll have 4000+ seniors flocking to our area because of the boom in moderately priced housing!! 

Yeah they are all going to be hanging out on street corners singing old Glenn Miller songs!  Those seniors can cause a rukus for sure!  Hey the other option is that all of our mother-in-laws can come and live at our houses!