Former Lebanon elementary school considered for apartment or office conversion

A Rapho Township, Lancaster County developer is proposing a $7 to $9 million redevelopment project that would convert a former elementary school in Lebanon to office space or housing.

Developer Quartz Creek Holdings LLC is waiting to close on a deal with Lebanon School District on its former Northwest Elementary School at 900 Maple St. The school relocated in the 2018-19 school year, leaving the 110,000-square-foot facility unoccupied.

Online listings for the former elementary school place the value of the building and its grounds at $1.75 million. The district has yet to announce a deal with Quartz.

After about six months of research, Quartz approached the district with two plans: 60,000 square feet of office space, or a 60-unit apartment building, said Aaron Camara, a partners in the firm.

“We are running down two paths at the same time, we didn’t want to go down just one,” he said. “Having a couple of options and diversifying is the best way to ensure a successful project.”

Both projects provide something that is missing in the Lebanon market, according to Camara– the apartment conversion would provide modern, professional-grade living conditions with amenities like a gym and bike rooms and the office space would provide a modern, professional feel currently missing from other office spaces in the city.

Regarding the potential office space, Camara said he expects the market to rebound by the time Quartz’s new building will be finished.

“When you have a company and you are trying to perform at your highest level, that happens when you work together in the same space and not through Zoom or any other method,” he said.

No matter which of the two the developer picks, the department plan to build a two level parking deck, which would be the first of its kind in the city, said Camara.
Part of the firm’s mission is to revitalize the communities it works in through its projects and Camara said either project should provide opportunity and grown on the north end of the city.

Quartz plans to finalize the project by November.