New plans for former Lans-Bowl property
Maintenance employee Larry Cole rakes leaves on a parking lot next to the North Penn YMCA on East Main Street in Lansdale, the site of the former Lans -Bowl bowling alley. Photo by Geoff Patton, The Reporter.
LANSDALE — Among the 28 items approved by borough council Wednesday was a resolution that would lead to a project that will change the look of East Main Street.
Resolution 12-05, which was unanimously passed and called “a really exciting project” by borough manager Timi Kirchner, officially supports the construction on the former Lans-Bowl property, now owned by North Penn YMCA, of a $28 million building which would make the PEAK Center, Advanced Living Communities and Manna on Main Street neighbors as part of a collaborative partnership.
The resolution, Kirchner said, means “ a significant improvement to the eastern gateway into the borough, but also a significant improvement in services that will be provided by all of the organizations.”
“Advanced Living, because of the business that they’re in (housing for seniors), can apply for tax credits for this project. And that will move the project significantly forward financially in the application for those credits,” Kirchner said. “They’ll be going before the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency. And what PHFA always looks for whenever an organization applies for such is whether or not the project is in concert with the comprehensive plan and the revitalization plan.”
Spearheaded by the North Penn Community Health Foundation, its president and CEO Russell Johnson spoke at the meeting and noted that the senior housing tax credits and PHFA credits, which will finance most of the project, “is something that this community has rarely tapped into.”
Council member Jack Hansen said the shared campus is of particular benefit to the PEAK Center. “(The current building is) not a great place for seniors to get in and out of,” he said.
Johnson also said that with the help of state Sen. Bob Mensch (R-24th District), the PHFA’s executive director, Brian Hudson, the Montgomery County Commissioners, and project stakeholders will in town for an official presentation of the project at 11 a.m. April 13 the YMCA.
“We have bipartisan interest, bipartisan support,” Johnson said, mentioning that U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R) and U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D) also have expressed interest in the project.
“Senator (Bob) Mensch sent us all a letter (about it) and I will be there,” commented council member Paul Clemente.
AMS Planning and Research Corp. officially became the consultant for the 311 W. Main Street Task Force with the unanimous approval of a contract, which Task Force chair Mike Sobel said was $2,000 under budget.
“How many more consulting firms are we going to hire? Our taxes are high enough,” said a resident of Mount Vernon Street, criticizing the utility billing of her rental property and an apparent violation of borough ordinance when bricks were installed in portions of the downtown sidewalk.
Council met for more than 20 minutes in executive session to discuss a legal matter pertaining to an application for zoning relief.
From Bingaman, Brian. (2012, Mar. 22). New plans for former Lans-Bowl property. The Reporter. Retrieved from: http://www.thereporteronline.com/article/20120323/NEWS01/120329893/1006/new-plans-for-former-lans-bowl-property&pager=full_story