The site of the former Woodward Elementary School at 1001 N. 18th St. in Harrisburg, now a vacant lot, may become affordable housing.
On the lot where a Harrisburg school once stood, a developer has proposed a plan to build affordable housing.
In January, Harrisburg School District Receiver Dr. Lori Suski approved the sale of a vacant lot that previously housed Woodward Elementary School, to Harrisburg developer Fernandez Realty Group.
The owner of the company, George Fernandez, is slated to purchase the 1.03-acre property at 1001 N. 18th St. for $240,000 and has proposed constructing a four-story building with 48 affordable apartment units. The building would also house a community room, daycare, food and clothing banks and possibly a pharmacy or clinic, he said.
A rendering of the proposed Woodward Lofts
“I’m ecstatic that the school district approved my offer,” Fernandez said. “This building will help revitalize the entire neighborhood.”
The sale is still pending, as the district must receive approval from the Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas. According to state law, when a school’s property is sold privately, instead of through public auction, it must receive court approval.
Woodward Elementary School, built in 1911, was shuttered and later demolished in 2016. It has been on the market for several years.
Fernandez said that his proposal for “Woodward Lofts” includes fully-furnished, one-bedroom units for low-income residents, based on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) guidelines. He expects to rent the 700-square-foot apartments for around $850 to $925 a month.
The proposed building would be 61,225 square feet and would take anywhere from three to five years and around $17 million to construct, Fernandez said.
According to Suski, the district plans to reach a settlement with Fernandez in April.
“The intention of what Fernandez Realty wants to do matches with the city in terms of affordable housing,” said the district’s Director of Facilities Craig Glass, at a January school board meeting.
Fernandez, also the CEO of marketing agency Color & Culture and Latino Connection, broke ground on his first affordable housing project, Sycamore Homes, in October 2022. He said that construction is underway and that there is already a waiting list of around 190 people to rent apartments at the property.
Moving forward with the Woodward Lofts project, Fernandez will need to go through Harrisburg’s permitting and approval processes.
To learn more about Fernandez Realty Group, visit their website.
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