A new housing development is in the works at the site of the former Philipsburg Area Hospital off Lochlomond Road in Rush Township.
Developer Jeff Long of Graystone Philipsburg, LLC purchased the 13.144-acre plot of land for $285,000 with intentions of building The Graystone Court, a five-story luxury complex for residents aged 55 and older.
Included in the plans are 20 cottage homes that will surround the complex, as well as common spaces and parking garages. Long expects shovels to go in the ground during late summer 2023 and noted an 18-month construction schedule.
The property was rezoned last year following a request from Graystone Court before it acquired the property.
“We are pleased to welcome Jeff Long to the greater Philipsburg area,” said Bryan Bennett, president of the Moshannon Valley Economic Development Partnership, which sold the land to Long for $285,000. “Mr. Long has completed many terrific projects throughout the central Pennsylvania region including the new Grand Palazzo in Altoona. We look forward to the housing development that he has proposed for the site.”
According to Long, the 72-unit main building will mimic the current Graystone Court Villas and features one- and two-bedroom apartments. The two-bedroom, two-bathroom non-subsidized cottage homes will measure 1,600-square feet and include a two-car garage.
Long said these cottages will “provide the perfect alternative for those desiring a little more space and a yard.” He said all of the apartments and cottage homes will be rentals at market rate.
Long also noted tenants will have the opportunity to customize their apartment or cottage home during the pre-leasing phase with a variety of paint, flooring, cabinetry and countertop colors.
According to Stan Lafuria, MVEDP’s executive director, it took a bit of chasing to land the deal with Long.
“We had talked to (Jeff) Long years ago about the former Philipsburg-Osceola Area School District’s junior high building hoping that we could convince him to redevelop that site,” said LaFuria. “For a number of reasons, Mr. Long declined to pursue that project. We are very pleased that Mr. Long recognized the housing needs that exist here and that he decided to develop a project here.”
Those interested in seeing Graystone Court Villas Clearfield in preparation for this new project, can schedule a tour by calling (814) 768-7235. A list for pre-leasing is currently underway at Graystone’s main office in Altoona.
The Rush Township location will be Graystone Court’s second location in Centre County, joining an apartment complex near Bellefonte.
The Philipsburg Area Hospital closed its doors for the final time in April of 2006 and several years later, the buildings on the site were demolished and the site was cleared by The Pennsylvania Department of General Services. The PA Department of Environmental Protection then gave the site a clean bill of health environmentally.
It has remained vacant since.
MVEDP purchased the former hospital site from the state of Pennsylvania in March 2017. The site was not subdivided and was left as a single parcel that was ready for development.
Prior to the sale to Long, Moshannon Valley Emergency Medical Services, Inc., purchased 2.3 acres of the former hospital site and plan to build a new ambulance headquarters and training facility at the location.
