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Barrett discusses Franklin School project
During Tuesday evening's regular session Nevada City Council meeting, Seth Barrett addressed the council about his Franklin School Project. As the owners of the 300 block of South Spring Street, Barrett and his wife seek to create a plan development to present to the Planning Commission.
"The development is nothing extravagant, but has the potential to fill the need for the quality housing in Nevada," noted Barrett. "The 20-unit development we are proposing will consist of a community-style housing development that will be owned by my wife and I, allowing us to focus on the whole block for development."
Barrett added that the four duplexes and the 12 single units will all be rented at fair market prices and will come with other amenities such as lawn care, trash service, and some other features that will "help us keep the whole area presentable over time."
The large city block also has been home to the old Franklin School, which has sat vacant for many years. "As of now, the Franklin School has been a detriment to the area — somewhat of a deterrent in growth for that block for several years, and possibly the surrounding area," Barrett explained. "It's not easy for me to say that because I did attend school there in fourth grade and hate seeing any type of building go to waste, but it's been neglected for way too long."
Barrett noted that they have been looking for a way to tear down the building in a manner where they can possibly salvage some of the materials. "If you've been in there, you know there's a lot of quality lumber — 2X12s, the bricks on the outside can all be salvaged," Barrett stated. "It's an expensive project, but with the potential of the property and the beautification of our community after the building is removed, I'd like to ask the City to see if there is anything you could do to help us with the project — specifically with the removal of the building. Any funding would go a long way, knowing that any assistance given to us by the City would allow us to reinvest right back into the property to help possibly fund off-street parking, additional units, and other expenses that would make a great impact to that area."
Barrett stated that he will soon be able to show the council a site plan and house plans to help move forward with this project. He then thanked the council for their time, while noting that the development will "help generate thousands of dollars in tax revenues over time and help provide quality housing in our community."