A vacant lot at 1001 N. 18th St., Harrisburg, the proposed site of an affordable housing development.
A local developer is one step closer to purchasing a Harrisburg lot on which to construct a proposed affordable housing project.
On Friday, Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas Judge John Cherry approved the Harrisburg School District’s sale of its vacant lot at 1001 N. 18th St. to Harrisburg-based Fernandez Realty Group, according to the company’s owner George Fernandez.
In February, district Receiver Dr. Lori Suski approved the sale of the lot that previously housed Woodward Elementary School to the developer, who has proposed building a four-story affordable apartment building.
However, the district was required to get court approval for the $240,000 sale. According to state law, when a public school’s property is sold privately, instead of through public auction, it must receive court approval.
Now that the court has approved the sale, the district and Fernandez Realty Group may move forward with the sale.
“I applaud the court’s decision today,” Fernandez said.
Fernandez held a community meeting on Thursday evening to share his plans for the development and gather feedback from residents who live in the vicinity of the proposed project.
“Woodward Lofts” still must go through the city’s land development process. If the project is approved, Fernandez plans to construct a 48-unit apartment building for senior citizens. The building would also house a community room, daycare, food and clothing banks, and possibly a pharmacy or clinic. The plan includes 37 off-street parking spots.
At Thursday’s community meeting, which was well attended, many residents spoke out in opposition to the proposal, sharing concerns about what they believed could cause increased traffic and crime and decreased property values for homeowners. After the meeting, Fernandez said that he planned to continue moving forward with his proposal.
Fernandez told TheBurg on Friday, that he is open to hosting additional town hall meetings in the community and would consider making changes to the proposal, based on residents’ feedback.
“I am committed to listening to the neighbors’ concerns and committed to working in a collaborative and respectful manner,” he said.
For more information about Fernandez Realty Group, visit their website.
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