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Community Action seeks zoning waiver to renovate 919 S. 12th as new site for Gathering Place meal program
Summary
Community Action Partnership requested a change of zone and a 5-foot height waiver to renovate a larger building at 919 South 12th Street to house the Gathering Place meal program; presenters said the move would expand capacity and keep services within walking distance for many guests.
Community Action Partnership of Lancaster and Saunders Counties asked the City Council to approve a change of zone and a waiver to allow a modest height increase for renovation of a building at 919 South 12th Street to house the Gathering Place meal program.
Heather Lockman, CEO of Community Action Partnership, outlined the organization's request and the rationale for relocating the Gathering Place from its longstanding house to the larger NeighborWorks-owned building at 919 S. 12th. "The Gathering Place... serves evening meals 7 nights a week to anyone experiencing hunger," Lockman told the council, and she said demand has grown from an average monthly 2,900 meals in 2022 to about 4,600 in 2024.
Lockman said the proposed facility is roughly double the square footage of the current location and would allow the program to remain within walking distance of the majority of its guests; Community Action conducted neighborhood engagement including an open house and meetings with neighborhood associations that yielded supportive feedback. The project would preserve historical elements of the building while adding an addition for deliveries, an elevator and an accessible entrance; the team requested a small waiver to the R-7 height limit (from 35 feet to 40 feet) to accommodate elevator clearance and limited service access.
Greg Newport, the project architect, said the waiver is primarily to provide elevator headroom and staff-access roof elements. Council members praised Community Action for pursuing a site that keeps the service in the same neighborhood and noted strong support from neighborhood groups. Chris Bowden, a long-time Gathering Place volunteer and director of the F Street Community Center, said the proximity of the proposed site would facilitate coordination between local services and make it easier for guests to reach the program, especially in inclement weather.
Lockman estimated a renovation cost of about $2.5 million and said construction would take roughly 18–24 months. The proposal will go before the Historic Preservation Commission for review because the building is historic; Community Action said it will preserve and restore original design components where feasible. The transcript records the presentation and public comment; a final council vote was not recorded in the segment provided.
