READING, Pa. – The Reading Planning Commission on Tuesday had its first review of a project entailing the adaptive reuse of a century-old blighted industrial building at 201 S. Sixth St.
The project proposed by HDC MidAtlantic and Landis Quality Living has been named Cornerstone on 6th and is a development for senior-living apartments.
Jerome Skrincosky, the city’s planning consultant from Hawk Valley Associates, explained the project involves 10 parcels of land which contain 44,551 square feet. The plan is to annex the parcels into one deed.
“There are going to be 46 age-qualified residential apartment units with 52 off-street parking spaces,” Skrincosky said. “The site is located within the R-3 (residential) zoning district, and the applicant has received the special exception for adaptive reuse, as well as zoning variances from the zoning hearing board, which were previously approved on December 13th, 2023. We have a policy to include the entire zoning hearing board decision on the plan.”
The site is located within the Prince Historic District, but the properties involved have been determined to be blighted, so the city does not believe there will be any conflicts.
The main access point for the complex will from South Sixth Street, even though there is a driveway access from Plum Street shown on the plan.
An engineer representing the applicants said the existing building is dilapidated with a collapsed ceiling, but added that the plans are to preserve as much of the façade of the original building when it comes to demolition and construction.
The applicants said while they received the zoning permit in 2023, they needed time extensions as they were waiting for financing through the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency to come through.
Having received the allocation, the applicants are prepared to move ahead with the project.
Planning Commission Chairman Wayne Bealer said he is very happy to see the project happening, as he was one of the founders of the blighted property review committee for the city.
Bealer commended the applicants for their thorough submission of plans, but advised that the city planning commission cannot take any action on the plan until it receives a review letter from the Berks County Planning Commission.
The panel therefore tabled the plan.
Adult day care
In another matter, the commission approve a preliminary/final plan for the Eternity Youth Adult Day Care Center at 118 S. Ninth St.
The property is the former Jet Set Restaurant.
Skrincosky said the project involves the utilization of the first floor as a day care facility for approximately 125 students.
Auto repair
A preliminary/final approval was also given for an annexation and land development plan for Alvarez Automotive at 1112-1116 Butler St.
Skrincosky said the applicant is proposing to annex two parcels to create 9,200 square feet of space to use as an automotive repair shop as well as an accessory sales use.
The site, which is located in the M-C Manufacturing Commercial zoning district, will include 10 off-street parking spaces.