Rezoning needed for 61 apartments in Allentown

ALLENTOWN, Pa. -

Allentown City Council soon will be asked to change zoning so a 61-unit apartment building called Sacred Heart Senior Residences can be constructed at the northeast corner of Fifth and Turner streets in the city.

To do the project, zoning in that area will have to be changed from medium high density residential to high density residential.

On Tuesday, developers of the proposed project asked for, and got, a recommendation from the Allentown planning commission supporting the zoning change request they will make to City Council.

If the zoning is changed and the project eventually is approved, the apartments will offer independent living and affordable housing to seniors who are 62 and older, said Kyle Speece, senior developer with Pennrose Properties.

Speece added the place will not offer assisted living, but will allow seniors to age in place and have access to health services offered by nearby Sacred Heart Hospital.

The hospital will not own Sacred Heart Senior Residences, but has been involved from the outset in putting together the concept.

Oldrich Foucek, chairman of the planning commission, boiled it down to its an apartment house with some doctors offices on the first level.

If City Council agrees to the developers' proposed zoning change, they eventually will return to the planning commission for approval of detailed land development plans for the project.

Atty. Joseph Fitzpatrick, who represented the developers Tuesday, said other blocks in that immediate neighborhood already are zoned high density residential.

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Rezoning needed for 61 apartments in Allentown