Commission recommends rezoning of Longfellow School site to R‑3 to allow private education and workforce housing; sends approval to City Council

The Saginaw Planning Commission voted to recommend rezoning 1314 Brown Street from R‑1 to R‑3 after a public hearing that drew neighborhood residents and the project team. The applicant, Renee Torres of T and S Constructing, said the plan would repurpose the Longfellow School building for a pre‑apprenticeship trades training program run by a nonprofit and include workforce‑oriented, efficiency apartments to make the operation financially sustainable.

Why it matters: Rezoning would change what uses are allowed on the property going forward; R‑3 would add private educational facilities and a range of multi‑unit housing uses, and the change runs with the parcel if City Council adopts it. Commissioners heard detailed questions about how many apartments and students the program would house, how residents would be vetted and managed, and how the project would affect parking and neighborhood safety.

Applicant and program: Renee Torres introduced herself as the petitioner and said she is working with a nonprofit called Building Poder ("power" in Spanish), Delta College and Michigan Works. She described a pre‑apprenticeship program covering carpentry, plumbing, HVAC and related trades and said cohorts would run about three months with "15 to 20 students at a time." Torres said the team intends about "25" apartment units in the building and that the project would pursue grants and private funding but also offer in‑house property management to provide stability.

Neighborhood concerns: Several nearby residents spoke during the public hearing. Sheila Gamble (1415 Brown Street) and Deborah Jackson (Holland Court area) said they supported vocational training but opposed adding apartments in their established, largely senior neighborhood, citing parking, traffic and safety concerns. Herbert Gibson (Highland Court area) urged strong supervision if recreational or gym spaces are provided.

Project details and staff comments: Planning staff reported the school property sits on a single parcel that could accommodate mixed uses and said the rezoning recommendation also aligns with the city's master‑planning goal to encourage reuse of underutilized buildings. Staff emphasized that the R‑3 designation allows private educational uses without a special use permit and that a future site plan review would be required for exterior or parking lot changes. The applicant and her partners said they plan gated parking with a security booth and 24‑hour security presence and intend to prioritize employer‑arranged leases (for example, hospitals or contractors) rather than individual short‑term leases.

Vote and next steps: After discussion the commission moved, seconded and, by roll‑call, recommended approval of rezoning from R‑1 to R‑3. The roll call recorded affirmative votes from Commissioners Bland, Clark, Windinger, Milne and Orange and negative votes from Commissioners Moore and Nash. The commission forwarded the recommendation to City Council; final adoption requires council action and any subsequent site plan or building permits.