Homesteads Developers Request Expansion Of Some Units

By Andrew Gorosko

The Homesteads at Newtown, LLC, is seeking Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) approval to expand the 38 “independent living” condominium units planned for its elderly housing complex now under construction in Hawleyville.

  The developer also wants to create basements for more than half of the 38 independent living units. The planned $50 million 298-unit complex on 60 acres at 166 Mt Pleasant Road also will include 160 “congregate housing” units and 100 “assisted living” units.

The proposed changes to the independent living units were the subject of an April 6 P&Z public hearing.

Attorney William Denlinger, representing The Homesteads, said the assisted living section of the complex is well under construction. The Homesteads plans to start construction on the independent living section next.

Elderly housing market conditions have changed since initial planning work was done on the project two years ago, the attorney said.

 Initial plans called for two types of independent living units. The revised proposal describes four types of independent units. Initial plans described units ranging in size from 1,140 to 1,240 square feet. The revised plans propose units ranging from 1,375 to 1,495 square feet. Earlier plans called for both 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom units. The revised plans propose all units having two bedrooms. The initial plans described all units having a one-car garage. Revised plans call for some units with two-car garages.

In the initial plans, there were no basements. The revisions submitted by the developer propose that at least 22 of the 38 units have basements.

The requested design changes would increase the aggregate size of the independent living units by almost 10,000 square feet, from an earlier 54,788 square feet to 64,633 square feet.

Mark Troost, an architect for The Homesteads, explained the requested design changes to P&Z members.

None of the proposed basements would have a “walkout” feature or windows. From outdoors, it would not be possible to tell which independent living units have basements and which are built on concrete slabs, according to the developer. Basements would be created for units where soil conditions allow excavation.

P&Z member James Boylan said of the basement proposal, “I have a problem with it becoming living quarters.”

“Why is there a need for basements?” asked P&Z Chairman Daniel Fogliano.

The presence of basements for personal storage is a major selling point, Mr Troost said, noting that many people will be moving to The Homesteads from larger quarters.

Mr Boylan said he had been impressed with The Homesteads project up until the developer proposed the changes in the independent living units.

Market research indicates that people who would buy the independent living units want basements for storage, Mr Denlinger said.

Public Comment

Some Pocono Road residents expressed concerns about the changes proposed for the complex by the developer. The complex also has frontage at 12 through 16 Pocono Road. The developer plans to extend an emergency accessway to Pocono Road.

Andrew Gallagher of 24 Pocono Road asked whether the fire marshal had reviewed the proposed design changes. Mr Gallagher asked how the proposed basements would be ventilated. He also questioned the developers on why two-car garages would be needed, asking whether increased traffic would a require traffic signal in the area.

Diane Merrifield of 26 Pocono Road asked about the market research done to justify the design changes. Ms Merrifield said she does not see any good reason for the changes.

Dennis Dougherty of 23 Pocono Road asked about the population of the complex and whether the presence of basements would increase building heights.

Kathy Maguire of 11 Pocono Road said the proposed design changes represent an increase in the number of motor vehicles to be kept at the site and the number of people living there. More people and added vehicles will translate into more local traffic, she said. Ms Maguire said she lives across Pocono Road from the site of the planned emergency accessway. She asked whether that accessway would be opened as a secondary entrance/exit for the complex.

Charlie Merrifield of 26 Pocono Road voiced his support for the project, but asked whether the fire marshal had reviewed the proposed changes.

Robin Fennimore of 17 Pocono Road asked the developer, “Is there a limit to the extent that this can grow?”

In response to the Pocono Road residents’ comments and questions, Mr Denlinger said the planned Pocono Road accessway will be used only for emergency vehicle access in the event the main entrance on Mt Pleasant Road is impassible. The accessway will not become a driveway, he stressed. “We don’t plan to change that at all,” he said.

“It’s a very carefully, well thought-out project,” he said.

Developer Dr Morton Silberstein said marketers have found that people moving to The Homesteads from larger homes do not want to move into small independent living units. “These people come from large houses, and they’ve got all kinds of stuff that they’ve accumulated over the years,” he said.

 “Basements will not be finished. It’s strictly a storage area,” he said.

  Mr Fogliano asked whether larger units would mean more people living in them than initially planned.

Dr Silberstein said that is not his impression, adding he does not expect the complex’s population to be greater than initially planned due to larger independent housing units.

 Mr Fogliano continued the public hearing on the requested design changes to the independent living units until April 20 to obtain more details on the project from the developer and to receive a report from the fire marshal.

The Homesteads’ assisted living building is scheduled to open next fall. Construction work to extend sewers to the site from Bethel is expected to start soon. Public water lines will be extended to the property from Blackman Road. 

The Homesteads is the largest single private residential housing complex ever to be built locally. It gained town development approvals in 1998. It is intended for people over 55. Project completion is planned for mid-2003.