Planning commission OKs student housing development in downtown New Kensington

A proposed downtown New Kensington student housing development took a first step toward reality by gaining approval from the city’s planning commission.

The commission voted, 4-0, Tuesday to approve a plan put forth by Jake Lydick, a downtown businessman. The plan would convert three vacant Fifth Avenue properties — 713, 715 and 717 — into an apartment building.

Those properties would be integrated with adjoining properties at 721 and 723, which would provide a “maker space,” for students interested in creating a business, and a 22-space parking lot.

Lydick owns Eye-bot Aerial Solutions and Patriot Technology Holdings nearby in The Corner, a business and technology incubator, at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Seventh Street.

He has to obtain a special-­use exception under city ordinances because the properties in question are zoned for commercial, not residential, use.

“Depending on the final configuration, it would be up to 15 units,” Lydick told the planners.

In part, Lydick’s proposal was sparked by a discussion with Kevin Snider, chancellor of Penn State New Kensington in Upper Burrell, about 5 miles from downtown, who told him the campus was running short on housing for students.

A letter to that effect from Snider to Lydick accompanied the drawings and information he submitted to the commission.

The feedback from city planners was positive because of how the proposal relates to the business, education and technology corridor along Fifth Avenue that city officials and businesses have been steadily building.

“I like what I’ve seen so far,” said Gary Garrison, vice chairman of the planning commission. “I think it’s a good fit for that area.”

“What I like is that we are tying in The Corner, we are tying in Penn State and we are going all the way up to Ninth Street,” commission member Mike Keyes said. “I like the idea that we are going to give some housing, hopefully, to people from Penn State.”

Lydick, a Buffalo Township native and Freeport Area High School graduate, said he could have moved out of The Corner as his business grew but didn’t because he liked the atmosphere. He said he wanted to branch out into some real estate holdings and saw an opportunity when he bought the buildings about a year ago.

“I also feel strongly about getting involved with the community,” Lydick said, adding that New Kensington is like “ground zero” for development.

“It’s a great time to be involved, and it’s been great to be involved with people who are like-minded, people who are about improving themselves and improving the community.”

City engineer Tony Males said Lydick could have gone directly to the zoning hearing board to seek the special-use exception.

He said he suggested having the planning commission review it first to weed out potential snags.

The only snag that came up was the lack of a paved surface on the parking area. Lydick has it as a gravel surface for which, he was advised, he would have to obtain a zoning variance.

Garrison said the plan now heads to the zoning hearing board, which would decide on the special-use exception and variance requests.

If those are granted, the plan would go back to the planning commission to approve the changes and then be forwarded to city council for final approval.