This story appears in the June 10-16 edition of The Centre County Gazette.
PHILIPSBURG — The Rush Township Planning Commission voted to recommend rezoning a parcel of land that was the site of the Philipsburg Hospital from commercial to village/mixed use.
The change petition was made by Graystone Court Villas, a company out of Tyrone, which has submitted plans for a 48-unit apartment complex for seniors, a café and 44 housing units.
Township engineer and zoning officer Michelle Merrow told the commission phase one of the project is slated to include independent-living cottage homes and an apartment building for senior citizens in the center with a coffee shop and café open to the public. Phase two is to include a personal-care home.
Transfer of the property from the Moshannon Valley Economic Development Partnership has not yet occurred and is contingent on rezoning the parcel.
A portion of the property owned by Moshannon Valley EMS is not included in the rezoning proposal.
Merrow said she has some “engineering concerns” about the overall project, but does recommend approval of the rezoning proposal.
Commission member Sam Estright made a motion to approve the rezoning request, which passed unanimously.
“I don’t have a problem rezoning it for this, but when we get into the nitty gritty, there’s a lot,” Estright said.
The Rush Township Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday to hear comments concerning the proposed project.
The board is expected to vote on the rezoning following the public hearing.
