Demolition of County Market makes way for new housing

CHAMBERSBURG - Demolition is finally underway at the old County Market building on the south end of Southgate Mall on West Liberty Street.

Tearing down the deteriorating old building and taking up the parking lot across from the market will make way for Washington Square Town Homes, a 54-unit housing complex being termed "workforce housing" by its developers because tenants will typically be employed and making between 30 and 60 percent of the area's median income.

Tax credits help finance rents at the complex.

According to the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania, working families, seniors and people with disabilities struggle to find and keep homes they can afford in Franklin County. Nearly half the rental households are paying more than 30 percent of their income on rent. About 20 percent of households are living on less than $25,000 a year.

Funds lined up for Southgate housing project

The demolition, which is being done with a $24,999 grant from the Elm Street Program, was supposed to take place last spring, but Project Manager Todd Robie said last month that the project was being held up pending some details relating to financing approval.

PIRHL Developers of Cleveland is working with the borough and Interfaith Housing Alliance on the project.

Minor roadblock stalls Southgate housing development

According to IHA President and CEO Patricia Motter, construction could start early next year. But the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency must​ sign off on the project first.  All of the financing for the project has been promised, however..

Chambersburg Borough Council allocated $100,000 from 2014 Community Development Block Grant to buy the land.

Franklin County Commissioners are providing $50,000 from the county Housing Trust Fund to the project, to be doled out over a two-year period. The local grant helps Interfaith Housing leverage tax credits to help pay for the $10.8 million project.

Interfaith Housing Alliance Inc. previously built the 32-unit Washington Square Apartments at 78 W. Washington St., adjacent to the new planned housing complex.

The current project is the second phase of the Washington Square housing project. It calls for three three-story buildings - one with 24 apartments, another with 18 apartments and a third with 12 town homes. A single-story clubhouse and recreation building and play area are also planned.

The housing complex will have 110 off-street parking spaces. A lot of 48 spaces will access Water Street and Black Avenue. Another 62 spaces will share an existing driveway onto Black Avenue with Washington Square Apartments.

The primary financing for the project comes through PennHOMES - a $500,000 grant and tax credits totaling $868,020.

With the late start on the demolition, the start date of the town homes project -- originally set for early next year -- is still not firm. Construction will take between 13 and 15 months for completion.

It is unclear exactly when residents can expect to have that source of affordable housing available to them, but reservations for the new housing won't be accepted until construction is about half finished.

Vicky Taylor, 717-262-4754