After more than a year of reworking plans, the developer who wants to bring a new affordable senior-living facility to Bristol Township has completed their changes.
Ingerman Development Company, BCM Affordable Housing, and Norton Avenue Baptist Church came before the Bristol Township Zoning Hearing Board Monday evening with new plans for 51-unit affordable housing complex residents over the age of 55. There would be 46 one-bedroom apartments and five two-bedroom apartments.
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The building would be constructed on Norton Avenue between Elwood and Watson avenues at the Norton Avenue First Baptist Church property. The site will be consolidated from several parcels to one 1.37-acre lot.
The Bristol Township Zoning Hearing Board approved the requests for variances for maximum building coverage, maximum building area, density, site capacity, impervious surface, off-street parking, and buffer yard.
The plan now moves forward in the land development process and will need to obtain approval from Bristol Township Council.
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Bryce McGuigan, the attorney for the developer, said “a lot of thought” was put into the new plan.
“What you have before you, I would submit, is a vastly improve plan,” he said.
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The last iteration of the plan was denied by zoners in 2021.
The new plans call for the church and the senior complex to occupy the same site. The developer plans to knock down three small buildings on the site to make room for the senior complex, but the church building will stay.
In 2021, the developer was asking for 27 variances. On Monday evening, they asked for only a handful after revamping the plans.
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Zoners heard from Morgan. He told them they removed a floor to make the proposed structure three stories instead of the originally-proposed four floors. He added the designers also reworked the entire location of the building on the site.
Greg Elko, an engineer for the project from Langan Engineering, said the plan calls for a 24-lot parking area in front of the building and a 26-lot parking lot next to the church. There will also be 14 on-street parking spots.
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A traffic engineer for the developer said the parking proposal is adequate, with Sunday being the busiest when there are 20 to 30 extra cars in the area for services at the church.
McGuigan said most residents won’t have cars and the facility will offer transportation services at no additional costs.
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Morgan told zoners he has found about 20 percent of residents retain their cars in similar communities.
Morgan said the facility will target aging residents – often people who worked or work in the service industry – who need affordable housing that helps them live “healthy, enjoyable lives.”
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The building will also have room for a gym and social services, which will provide services like flu shots and healthy eating seminars.
For the two-bedroom units at the facility, the rent will be $1,125 per month compared to the average rent for area two-bedroom apartments of $1,900 per month.
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Norton Avenue First Baptist Church Pastor James Evans said the facility is much needed in the area.
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“I know people who are looking to stay in the community and not pay and arm and a leg to stay,” he said.
Evans said inflation and rising housing costs make the project even more important.
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“This is needed. In fact, somebody needs to step up and provide what our seniors need,” he said.
Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, State Rep. Tina Davis, and Bucks County government have been supportive of the project.
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