After hearing public comment both in favor of and opposed to the proposed project which includes 63-foot, 7-story building to be constructed in downtown Gettysburg, the Gettysburg Historical Area Review Board last night unanimously approved a motion to recommend that the Gettysburg Borough Council approve the Certificate of Appropriateness for the project.
Voting in favor of the project were President Gary Schaffer and board members Suzanne Christianson, Brandon Stone, Paul Witt, and Clem Malot. Board member Andrew Johnson was ill, and board member Joe Edgar, who was appointed recently to the board, did not vote.
The council will likely consider the recommendation at its meeting on Dec. 9.
The project, to be located between Carlisle and Stratton Streets next to the Gettysburg Lincoln Railroad Station, will develop a lot that has been primarily vacant for over 20 years, providing 185 apartments and 15,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space. The project will create needed housing for the borough and increase tax revenue.
Before the vote, HARB Chair Gary Shaffer said the board had been working with the developer, Tim Harrison from TCH Development Co., LLC., since the summer of 2023, and that the development team had been receptive to the board’s suggestions. “Nothing we have reviewed has been taken lightly,” he said.
Shaffer said the development was necessary for the borough as Gettysburg College loses students, the Lutheran Seminary is subdividing its property, and the Gettysburg National Military Park (GNMP) continues to remove properties from the borough’s tax roll.
Contacted after the meeting, Schaffer said HARB had been unanimous in opposition when the proposed height increases were originally proposed for the property during rezoning meetings in 2018. “The original zoning proposals allowed a 96 ft height,” he said, but said public opposition to the increases had reduced heights and created greater setbacks. “The opposition to zoning in 2018 resulted in a less intense zoning ordinance,” he said.
Shaffer noted there were no existing historical structures on the site and that the approval for the taller height exception had been approved by the Zoning Hearing Board in 2023.
Shaffer said that from the viewpoint at Culp’s Hill, the Gettysburg Hotel would still be more noticeable than the new building which, because it will be built on lower ground, the top of which will be lower than both the Gettysburg Hotel and the Gladfelter Hall Tower on the Gettysburg College campus.
“This is not a position I came to easily. I started out in great opposition, but I have changed,” said Shaffer.
Before the vote, Stone reminded people that HARBs decision had nothing to do with the height of the building, which was already approved by the Zoning Hearing Board, but only dealt with the building’s aesthetics.
Speaking before the vote, Harrison said “I take very seriously all the comments I’ve heard. They’re very sobering,” but also noted that the economics of scale were important. Harrison reminded people that the additional height was allowed in exchange for underground parking, relocating the transit center, access for the inner loop bike trail, and maintaining 25 percent publicly accessible green space on the property.
“We have done our best to be responsive to the wishes of HARB,” he said.
In public comment before the vote, Gettysburg National Military Park Superintendent Krista Heiser asked HARB to delay their vote, saying the “massive scale” of the project would have “significant impact,” and that the building would dramatically alter the surroundings.
A representative from the Gettysburg Foundation echoed Heiser’s concerns, as did a representative from the National Parks Conservation Organization.
Residents spoke both in favor and against the project, with former Borough Council president Susan Naugle making a plea for approval.
Naugle said she had voted against the height increase when it was considered by the borough council in 2018, but that she was now in favor of the development.
She said the rehabilitation of the parcel which had contained “run-down” buildings had begun 21 years ago. Naugle said that despite the work of the Gettysburg Industrial Development Authority and the creation of the Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance Act (LERTA), five or more developers had rejected the possibility of building on the site. “It was a challenging site for sure,” she said.
“All in all I think the developer has done a very good job working with the borough,” she said.
After the vote, former Borough Council President Wes Heyser thanked the board for its work. “I appreciated your patience with the Gettysburg Station Project; your diligence,” he said. Heyser noted that the Borough Council had reviewed the building sizes and site lines of the proposed project before voting for the increased heights in 2018 and had reached what he thought was a “compromise.”
Featured Image Caption: Project Developer Tim Harrison speaks at the meeting.
Charles (Chuck) Stangor is Gettysburg Connection's Owner, Publisher, and Editor in Chief. I would like to hear from you. Please contact me at cstangor@gettysburgconnection.org.
I’m sure that the impact on traffic has been assessed. Does anyone know where can I find the road improvements that will be made to address the substantial increase in traffic?
How will this affect public transportation which many of us depend on?
What happens when they don’t get purchased, or people move in, but then move out because it’s right next to an active railroad track and can’t sleep because of the train noise?
Local petition?
I understand the need to improve your tax base but does it have to be 7 stories that seems to be excessive. Plus I hope it will have some charm to look more like the Historic area it will be in. If it looks anything like the 1863 hotel in the area it will be awful. The 1863 hotel should never have been allowed. I fear your 7 story will be another monster and not fit in with the Historic charm of Gettysburg.