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New Housing, Grocery Coming to Downtown York

1 MIN READ

By Christine Serlin

July 2, 2013

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PIRHL and RDL Architects

Once completed late this summer, George Street Commons in York, … Read More Once completed late this summer, George Street Commons in York, Pa., will provide 28 affordable townhomes, a 1,700-square-foot community center, and a 2,000-square-foot neighborhood grocery store.

PIRHL and RDL Architects

Developer PIRHL partnered with York Community Development Corp.,… Read More Developer PIRHL partnered with York Community Development Corp., the York Redevelopment Authority, and RDL Architects to create a place for families to live, work, and play in an urban environment.

Jan Shergalis

George Street Commons is being constructed on an underutilized a… Read More George Street Commons is being constructed on an underutilized and partially vacant block at the southern gateway to York's downtown business center.

Jan Shergalis

Large-scale revitalization has been taking place in York. The ci… Read More Large-scale revitalization has been taking place in York. The city's 2030 Comprehensive Plan targets the George Street Commons project site as an "Opportunity Site" fundamental to the future revitalization of the area.

Jan Shergalis

After the low-income housing tax credit compliance period ends, … Read More After the low-income housing tax credit compliance period ends, residents will have the opportunity to purchase their townhomes.

Downtown York, Pa., will be getting an injection of new affordable housing and a community-based grocery store later this summer.

Developer PIRHL, LLC, and the York Community Development Corp. (YCDC), the development arm of the York YMCA, have partnered on George Street Commons, which will provide 28 townhome units and a community center on an underutilized city block.

According to David Uram, a principal at PIRHL, the area has a lot of older housing that’s in need of significant rehab. George Street Commons will provide sustainable housing for working families earning between 20 percent and 60 percent of the area median income.

Contiguous to the project site will be the 2,000-square-foot grocery store, with its own financing structure, that will offer fresh and healthy food options. The Na family, immigrants from Korea, will occupy the new space. The development team is partnering with The Food Trust, a Philadelphia nonprofit that helps to strengthen small grocery stores in underserved urban markets.

The development will also offer residents on-site services through YCDC, including medical screenings, job training, and financial education.

After the 15-year low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) compliance period ends, the residents will have the opportunity to purchase their units.

“It’s the perfect connection—education, healthy eating, and affordable housing,” says Uram. “The idea is for people to have the tools they need to pull themselves up over time.”

The $7.9 million project is largely financed with LIHTC equity provided by Enterprise Community Investment. York’s Redevelopment Authority also donated the property to the partnership.

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