READING., Pa. – The Reading Planning Commission voted Tuesday night to table a revised plan of record for a proposed apartment complex planned at 601 Penn St., a 10-story former office building.
The revised plan incorporates the details of a settlement agreement with the developer.
The settlement agreement was with Dream Ventures PA II LLC, an entity controlled by Brooklyn-based development company Heights Advisors, which is planning to convert the former Santander office building into an apartment building consisting of a mix of efficiencies and one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments.
The zoning hearing board granted zoning relief in 2023 to allow the project as presented, but Reading City Council later voted to appeal the decision in the Berks County Court of Common Pleas.
City Council strongly disagreed with the original zoning decision that would have allowed 207 apartment units by permitting dimensions much smaller than the city’s zoning ordinance requires.
Jerome Skrincosky, the city’s planning consultant from Hawk Valley Associates, said the settlement agreement that’s in place will allow a maximum of 180 residential apartment units within floors two through 10. The developer has since reduced the number of units to 178.
The project would require 267 off-street parking spaces, and although those have not been identified on plans, the Reading Parking Authority sent a letter stating it has availability to lease that number of spaces.
The planning commission members agreed to table the plan because they believe there needs to be further review by multiple city departments that have oversight of the project.
In other business, the commissioner voted to approve preliminary/final plans for:
Iglesia Cristiana Casa del Rey, 556 N. Ninth St., to annex and develop the adjacent dirt lot at 544 N. Ninth St. The church plans to develop the lot into a four-space parking lot.
The Reading School District to develop a parking lot area on the 5.2 acres at the Northeast Middle School at 1201 N. 12th St. The site is across the street from 12th and Marion Elementary School. Wayne Gehris, chief financial officer with the district, said the parking area will consist of two rows of parking. Gehris said the new parking will add spaces for staff, as well as accommodate parking for community members who will be losing spaces at 12th and Marion Elementary School due to a redevelopment project. The district permits area residents to utilize parking lots when not being used for school uses.
Also Tuesday, the planners tabled a plan proposed by Alveria University to develop a 2,700-square-foot pavilion at its main campus. The panel said there were outstanding plans for stormwater management.