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Commission endorses 701 North H Street conversion to nine apartments, asks for revised exterior renderings and trash plan
Summary
Planning staff recommended approval of a proposal to convert 701 North H Street into six apartments and three parking spaces; the commission asked for color renderings, shade-tree input and a plan for screening refuse and package delivery.
The Planning Commission on March 11 recommended favorably that 701 North H Street be converted from a two‑story building to six apartments with three parking spaces, subject to several design and operational conditions.
Staff described the property as a rehabilitation opportunity within the RMH (residential medium-high density) district and noted the conversion aligns with the city’s Allentown Vision 2030 goal to revitalize idle buildings and increase housing supply. Staff also asked the applicant to provide a color rendering for public review and to document how trash, landscaping and lighting would be handled.
Attorney Ron Corkery represented owner/developer Manny McCool, who said the project would follow the pattern of other adaptive reuses he has completed in the city and that the design would include new windows, stucco repairs where needed, and an aesthetically consistent finish similar to an adjacent, recently completed project. Corkery and the applicant said the ground-floor parking would be open bays, with three spots provided and one designated as accessible; the developer said tenants would be encouraged to schedule deliveries so building staff could accept packages when needed.
Commissioners pressed for a secure and contained trash solution and asked staff to circulate the plan to the Shade Tree Commission to determine whether street trees or cash-in-lieu should accompany the frontage work. The commission also raised the potential for bollards or protective wrapping around columns that will support an overhanging unit above the parking area.
After discussion, commissioners voted to forward the application favorably to the zoning hearing board with conditions: color renderings and memorialized exterior improvements, a refuse/mail-handling plan, coordination with the Shade Tree Commission on street trees or fees, and fire and building approvals to be secured during permitting.
