By fall, Barefield Development Corp., Pottsville, will advertise four one-bedroom apartments above the former Liberty Savings Bank at 21 S. Centre St., Pottsville, for rent, according to Craig S.L. Shields, the nonprofit development group's CEO.
Shields made the announcement at a public hearing Thursday before the Pottsville Zoning Hearing Board at city hall, where the board unanimously granted him a variance allowing him to open the residential dwellings in the commercial C-3 zone.
"We'd like to do market-rate apartments. Our intention is to rent them normal, like a rental apartment," Shields said.
"Did the Barefield board have any discussion before this building was voted upon by the board to be acquired? Was that part of the discussion, the attempt to get market-rate in here first? That would be the preference?" Bill Reiley, Pottsville, the attorney representing Barefield at the hearing, asked Shields.
"Correct," Shields said, and he confirmed this would not be Section 8 housing.
The building at 21 S. Centre St. was built in 1918 and the Greater Pottsville Federal Savings & Loan have owned it since 1987, according to the online Schuylkill Parcel Locator.
In March, The Gratz Bank merged with Liberty Savings Bank and acquired Liberty's two locations in Pottsville. The bank at 21 S. Centre St. closed March 29 and consolidated with the one at 2221 W. Market St. In June, The Gratz Bank donated 21 S. Centre St. to Barefield.
Established in 2001, Barefield has acquired and restored more than 30 Pottsville properties. While it operates the Necho Allen - an 66-unit high-rise for the elderly and disabled - tax free, its other properties pay taxes to the city, county and school board. With the acquisition of 21 S. Centre St., Barefield owns a total of 33 properties, Shields said.
During the hearing Thursday, Shields said he expects the bank will finish its business in the building by September. He's hoping to move a business into the first floor office space. While he confirmed there was an interested party, he would not identify it Thursday.
He said he'd like to have the four one-bedroom apartments fully rented by fall.
"They all have one bedroom, kitchen, living room, bathroom. To my surprise, they were there when we acquired the building, so it saved us a lot of money. The only repairs we have to do is put in new smoke alarms and bring it up to code," Shields said at the hearing.
Present at the hearing was Chairman Charles Taronis and board members Morris Brill, Greg Wagner, Mary Ann Conway and Michael J. Dwyer.
Dwyer is the Section 8 director for the Pottsville Housing Authority, of which Shields is the executive director. To avoid a conflict of interest, Dwyer removed himself from the hearing and did not vote on the matter.
Also present were David Petravich, city building code officer, and Mark Barket, solicitor for the zoning board.
"Would they be ADA compliant? Are you going to try to rent to people with special needs? How does that work?" Barket asked.
"They're on the second and third floor. They would probably rule them out," Shields said.
"And you're not going to install an elevator," Conway said.
"No. You can't put an elevator in it. There's a stairwell," Shields said.
"That's reasonable," Barket said.