Plans to convert factory unveiled
Four-story building where shirts were made will be site of apartments
Plans to renovate a former factory that has sat vacant for as long as 40 years were unveiled to borough council. Greg Lingo of Media-based Rockwell Development Group told council on May 3 that his company is under contract to buy the four-story former shirt factory at the corner of Cherry and South Charlotte streets.
He said the company intends to spend $2 million on restoring the outside of the building, which was last used as part of the former Mrs. Smith’s Pies plant that closed in 1998 and has since been mostly torn down and replaced with townhouses as part of the Hanover Square project.
Lingo’s company is also involved in the development of the
mixed use, commercial and residential project adjacent to Hanover Square along South Hanover Street.
Lingo told council the plans include 20 two-bedroom apartments and eight one-bedroom apartments, as well as two townhouses on the half-acre site.
“The inside of the building is amazing, with very high ceilings, and the views of the river from the third and fourth floor are pretty remarkable,” Lingo said.
He told council the company plans to pursue getting historic landmark status for the building, which often somes with funding opportunities.
Borough Solicitor Charles D. Garner Jr. told council that the developers have met with staff, but wanted input from council before pursuing the project any further and incurring more costs.
This being Pottstown, the first word out of a council member’s mouth was “parking.”
The zoning ordinance requires two spaces for each unit, for a total of 60 spaces, but there will only be a total of 47 available and parking in that area is already pretty tight, said Councilwomen Carol Kulp and Sheryl Miller and Planning Commission Chairperson Deb Penrod, who lives in Hanover Square.
That item being raised first off visibly irked Councilman Dennis Arms who said “I can’t believe we’re talking about parking when someone comes in and says they want to spend $2 million on a building that’s been vacant for 40 years. Thank you for investing in our town.”