Encouraging historic restoration
One of Pottstown’s greatest assets is its historic architecture, most dating to the Victorian era, with ornate gables, eaves, spires, porches, and windows of all sizes and configurations.
These buildings are charming and unique, but costly to maintain. We should be grateful to those who put in the time, expertise and financial resources to make their buildings shine.
No one has done more for Pottstown architecture in recent years than the Zimrick Group, a partnership of Ken Zimmerman and Greg Emrick. Zimrick has renovated and owns numerous properties in Pottstown, including the 1725 Roller Mill on South Hanover Street, which Zimrick renovated into apartments and first floor commercial in 2019.
One of their most recent projects is a Queen Anne house at North Hanover and Chestnut streets, originally a parsonage, and for decades the office of Dr. Francis Maressa, DDS, until he moved his practice two years ago.
Zimrick gutted the building and installed a new heating and cooling system. Zimrick replaced much of the roof and wooden siding shingles and painted everything inside and out.
But to make all this work financially feasible, you need tenants. Zimrick is retaining the building’s two apartments. In place of the dentist’s office, Zimrick has tentatively leased the space to Sapphire Real Estate.
Under Pottstown’s zoning ordinance, offices and apartments are permitted in existing buildings as a conditional use. The ordinance gives Pottstown Council the authority to approve the use of the building, and Council has set a hearing 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 7, prior to its Committee of the Whole meeting at Borough Hall.
Given that a real estate office doesn’t generate any more traffic than a dentist’s office, Council should be pleased this magnificent building is being put to good use.