Developer seeks rezoning of Dairy Barn site for 65‑unit, 55+ affordable housing; residents worry about loss of commercial space

Spire Development told the Greenville City Council it wants to rezone the Dairy Barn property at 1249 Schweitzer Street to allow a 65‑unit, 55‑and‑older rental housing development financed with federal housing tax credits administered by the state of Ohio.

“We are proposing to rezone the Dairy Barn property to a PUDR zoning designation to allow the development of a 55 and up rental housing development,” Sean McMichol of Spire Development told the council during a public hearing. He said the project would include 65 units (51 one‑bedroom and 14 two‑bedroom apartments), a leasing office and community amenities, and be built to modern accessibility standards.

McMichol said the financing model requires a third‑party market study and that the state’s competitive tax‑credit process generally directs projects to areas identified as primary market areas. He told council the project targets households at or below 80 percent of county median income and that rent limits are set by that calculation.

Residents who spoke at the hearing urged the council to consider the site’s commercial history and the corridor’s needs. “I don't understand why we can't recruit another business for that space,” longtime resident Gail Banks said, urging the city not to “give up so quickly” on attracting restaurants or other businesses to the Schwitzer Street corridor.

Local business owner Bob Brandon described years of trying to sell a commercial property and cited site cleanup and market challenges as obstacles to recruitment. The property owner in attendance said he had broadly marketed the Dairy Barn for about six months and received no viable restaurant offers, and that selling to a developer offered a practical way for him to move on after decades at the site.

Speakers asked about traffic and parking; McMichol said the project proposes one parking space per unit (65 spaces), quoted Institute of Transportation Engineers guidance and estimated peak trips at about 16 during the evening peak hour and roughly 224 daily trips. He also said the developer bears risk for an underperforming project and that engineering reviews (water, sanitary sewer and site engineering) would be required if the project advances.

Several commenters asked whether the project could later be converted to general‑occupancy low‑income housing. McMichol and staff said the rezoning and a deed restriction attached to the property would require the development remain senior housing; the developer said such a restriction is a standard part of the tax credit and deed arrangement.

No final zoning vote was taken. City staff said an ordinance to change the zoning will be introduced at the council's next meeting; because two members were absent tonight, only first readings were scheduled. Councilors and speakers said the ordinance will be contingent on a final development plan and the deed restriction requiring 55+ senior occupancy.

Next steps: the council will receive an ordinance for first reading at a future meeting and may take additional public comment before any vote.