WPCA May Negotiate For Condo Sewer Service

By Andrew Gorosko

The Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA) will tell a development firm that wants to build a 147-unit age-restricted condominium complex at the largely unbuilt site of The Homesteads housing complex in Hawleyville, that if the firm secures approvals for that project from other town agencies, the WPCA would negotiate to provide municipal sewer service for a condo complex.

On August 12, WPCA members authorized WPCA Chairman Richard Zang to tell Paragon Residential Properties, LLC, of Southport of the WPCA’s willingness to negotiate with the firm for sewer service, provided that the company receives approvals from agencies including the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) and the Conservation Commission, which serves as the local wetlands agency.

In June, Paragon had approached the WPCA about obtaining sewer service for the proposed complex. WPCA members then informed the developer that because the town had built the Hawleyville sewer system to spur economic development, the firm should first seek an endorsement for the project from the Economic Development Commission (EDC).

In July, the EDC conditionally endorsed the project.

In a letter to Mr Zang, EDC Chairman Chet Hopper wrote, in part, that the EDC endorses Paragon’s construction proposal provided that it does not require more sewage disposal capacity and public services than an earlier age-restricted housing project for the site, which had been proposed by The Homesteads, but never materialized. The EDC had endorsed that earlier Homesteads proposal as a form of economic development.

“If asked, the EDC will again review and consider this [Paragon] project when ownership of the property is defined, and a fully designed development is presented,” Mr Hopper wrote.

Mr Hopper pointed out that Paragon had not presented the EDC with specific construction plans for the Homesteads site during a July discussion.

Paragon representatives have proposed a 147-unit complex on 50 acres at 12 Pocono Road as a form of economic development, which would broaden the town’s property tax base. Paragon estimates the sale value of such a complex at more than $55 million. The 50 acres have EH-10 (Elderly Housing) zoning, which is intended for multifamily development for people over age 55.

In 1998, The Homesteads received P&Z approvals to build 200 multifamily units at the site in the form of 162 congregate-care units and 38 condos. In 2001, The Homesteads modified its plans, receiving P&Z revised approvals for 178 dwellings in the form of 132 congregate units and 46 condos. The Homesteads eventually built 12 age-restricted condos on the property, but they have never been occupied. Those 12 condos would be refurbished as part of a 147-unit Paragon condo complex. Several years ago, The Homesteads organization encountered serious financial problems, which led to an inability to secure all the required town approvals for condo occupancy.

The Paragon proposal does not involve the existing 95,000-square-foot, 100-unit Homesteads assisted-living building at 166 Mt Pleasant Road, which opened in April 2001.

The Homesteads site is adjacent to Ginsburg Development Corporation’s Liberty at Newtown, a 96-unit age-restricted condo complex, which is now under construction on 40 acres at 178 Mt Pleasant Road.

Jay Addison of Paragon has said the firm proposes building two different types of condos on the 50-acre site.

Single-story condos would be designed for people in their early to mid-60s. Condos situated in elevator-equipped three-story buildings would be marketed to people in their late 60s to early 70s. The multistory buildings would contain eight condos each.

The condo price range would extend from about $300,000 to about $400,000, based on size. The average price would be about $375,000. Single-story condos would enclose an average 1,650 square feet of space. Units in the elevator-equipped buildings would be smaller. There would be about a 50/50 split between the two different types of condos. The project is yet unnamed.

Besides the 50-acre site where the firm would build the condos, it would develop an adjacent 3.5-acre parcel on Mt Pleasant Road that has commercial zoning. At that site, Paragon wants to build an age-restricted membership club for residents of the condo complex. The club, which would be keyed to sports, fitness, recreation, and socializing, also would sell age-restricted memberships to the public.