A conceptual rendering of a quadplex as part of a subdivision in College Township proposed by Mosaic Community Development, LLC.
Screenshot
A new housing development along Puddintown Road is in the early planning stages for College Township.
Ethan Wendel and Daniel Haverkos of Mosaic Community Development, LLC submitted a draft plan to the College Township Planning Commission and presented at Tuesday’s meeting. They plan to develop a four-acre lot on Puddintown Road near the intersection with College Avenue at State College.
The proposed development includes single-family duplex housing, multi-family apartments and green spaces, according to the project narrative. The property will be designed to accommodate “families and individuals of varying ages, sizes, and economic means,” the story reads.
“One of the things that has been difficult is that there just aren’t a lot of buildings that combine different economic groups and different age groups. You know, you’re the ones putting all the kids in student accommodation and all the adults in McMansions elsewhere and all the old people in old nursing homes and all the young people here,” Wendel said.
“We just find that it’s not conducive to the development of young people in a real sense, to see a family live and see how we do community and see how we engage in life and to be able to really, you know , come and have a beer on the back porch and hang out because we live next to each other because we’re so isolated,” Wendel said. “That’s really why we’re targeting a diverse community that can accommodate different people of different economic statuses all living in a place where we can have some sense of community, which isn’t just based on where you go to work and how much you get paid.”
The maximum number of units offered includes three duplex units (six units), a four-unit duplex-style building, a 16-unit quadplex-style building, and a 12-unit quadplex-style building.
The photos included in the presentation are not necessarily the exact design of the complexes, as they did not go into the architectural layout, Wendel said. But they envision a “modern, industrial atmosphere.”
Commission member Robert Hoffman praised the architectural design.
“I find it exciting, the materials you use, the scale of the units you make. As you go through the planning process hopefully you can keep some of it because it’s refreshing to see clean, simplistically detailed units and not the stuff we’ve seen over the last 60 years or so. more,” Hoffman said. .
Of the 38 units, there will be at least four units dedicated to workforce housing. Wheelchair-accessible and ADA units will also be available, Wendel said.
The building and roadway will occupy 1.23 acres of the 3.92 acre land. The remaining 2.69 acres will be manicured green space along Thompson Run.
The developer is not requesting any township waivers at this stage. The proposed development includes the construction of sidewalks.
“We proposed to include the construction of sidewalks the full length of Puddintown Road to College Avenue. It’s a challenge…because if you’re familiar with this, if you’ve ever walked or run this, at the end where College Avenue and Puddintown meet, the road is very thin. There’s a landfill, there’s a bridge, there’s a culvert, and I’m looking for ideas,” Wendel said.
The commission received a letter from ClearWater Conservancy with concerns primarily about stormwater runoff, said commissioner Bill Sharp. The plan shows two underground stormwater retentions, Wendel said. Their next step is to go to the Department of Environmental Protection to start the process of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, he said.
Overall, the commission expressed enthusiasm for the development and was eager to learn more.
“It’s a very interesting project. I’ll be watching this development to see how you all do with your future developments because it’s exciting, a kind of place I wouldn’t mind living,” said commissioner William McKibbin.
Once the community is developed, Wendel said they plan to set up a swimming pool for residents of the community. Commissioner Matthew Fenton asked if there would be public access to the green space, if anyone wanted to enjoy the creek, for example. People are doing it now, so he doesn’t expect it to be a problem in the future, Wendel said.
As this is a sketchy plan and is still in its infancy, the committee did not vote on it. Instead, they offered developer feedback and feedback. Wendel and Haverkos will also present the sketch plan at the College Township council meeting on Thursday.
