York OKs apartments for Olde York Square

City leaders have approved the third set of revisions in seven years for a 52-acre mixed-use senior living campus in York.

Chris Sinz, developer of Olde York Square at the northwest corner of S.C. 5 West and Alexander Love Highway, said a marketing study called for the addition of apartments and condos.

Sinz said the new development plan approved by the York City Council last week still calls for 337 housing units, the same housing density as under the previous plan.

However, the new plan reduces the amount of housing for seniors and adds general housing, which would be open to people of any age group.

Sinz said changes include adding 165 market-rate apartments to the front of the property and 20 condominiums, which would be above the retail space.

Another change, he said, is reducing the number of single family, independent living units for seniors from 75 to 44.

The plan also calls for 90 assisted living or memory care beds and 40 independent-living apartments for seniors. That part of the project would be moved toward the back of the property.

Lee Guempel, who lives near the planned Olde York Square site, told council members he was worried about the impact of apartments on the neighborhood and property values.

“I’m concerned about the apartments, and I think some others may be, too,” Guempel told the council. He asked what would happen if the property owners can’t lease all the apartments and they stand vacant.

Guempel said he’s also concerned about plans proposed under an earlier revision of the project for commercial parcels that could include a gas station. “If that turns into a truck stop, we could have a big noise problem,” he said.

Sinz said the apartments are somewhat upscale, and would lease for $1,100 to $1,300 a month. “They are very nice apartments,” he said.

Sinz said he’s working with a Greenville group, Progressive Management, which would build the operate the assisted living units. He said the company has a similar project in Travelers Rest.

Sinz said Progressive has a sister company that would build and manage the apartments. He said the market study supported the need for apartments.

“We have a huge investment in the total project,” Sinz said after the meeting. “We are not going to let one piece of it be trashy. They are both going to be very good quality.”

Olde York Square was first proposed and approved by the council in 2008 as an upscale community of single-family homes and businesses such as banks, a grocery store, drug store, eateries and a coffee shop.

A couple years later, after the economy collapsed, the project was redesigned and transformed into an age-restricted community that would have homes, apartments, assisted living beds and rooms for patients with Alzheimer’s disease, as well as commercial parcels.

In 2013, the project was revised again and the York City Council approved a request by Sinz for greater flexibility in the commercial parcels.

Sinz asked that a gas station, a pet care facility and a small bowling alley be included among possible commercial uses. Some neighbors objected, voicing fears about noise, traffic and the environmental impact.

City leaders have complained about years of delays in the project and asked that Sinz report to the council every three months to update members on his progress.

This story was originally published March 10, 2015 at 9:41 AM with the headline "York OKs apartments for Olde York Square."