A sign for the city of Johnstown on New York State Route 67 on June 4, 2024.

Johnstown community representatives and leaders expressed their support for a $1.5 million grant application to update sewer lines and a vehicular and pedestrian bridge in conjunction with private development plans to build a 64-unit affordable senior housing apartment complex at the end of Prindle Avenue on Monday.

The public hearing was followed by a resolution authorizing the city to submit their application for the grant, which was passed 4-0, as council member Scott Miller was excused from the meeting. The grant is a part of the Office of Community Renewal’s Community Development Block Grant program, with the principle purpose of benefiting low- to moderate-income persons.

“I’m happy for the support,” Mayor Amy Praught said Tuesday. “These are people in our community that work with business, work with government agencies, and understand the need for senior housing and their proponents of this project, and this grant is just a start in getting the property prepared and ready for development. It was important to have that support, and it was important for my council, who voted on allowing us to continue applying and submitting this grant to the state.”

Fulton County Center for Regional Growth President Ron Peters said during the meeting that there is a need for affordable senior housing in the city, and that the site is perfect for the project.

“This application must go forward in order to secure funding,” Peters said Monday. “[It’s] a project that’s going to benefit the City of Johnstown. Population need is here, and it’ll be a good project and it’ll keep on going in a positive direction.”

Five Corners Development and its venture partner NRP Holdings are set to construct the apartment complex. The city transferred ownership of the property to the Fulton County Industrial Development Agency over the past year, and Five Corners Development recently presented a tentative site plan to the city’s planning board at the July meeting.

According to application documents, the project is estimated to cost $15 million, although Mayor Amy Praught said that could change depending on how construction goes. Documents noted work will begin in September of 2026.

The 64-unit complex will additionally sit on the western terminus of Prindle Avenue, and includes portions of five separate parcels that will have property lines adjusted and consolidated. The area was previously used by the Department of Public Works, and is currently occupied by a storage building and two sheds that will be demolished before construction.

Five Corners Development Principal Sumeet Gupta said he’s happy and supportive the grant was authorized.

“This is the city’s application for the grant for public improvements,” he said Tuesday. “But, obviously these improvements are important and supportive for our projects, so we’re very happy, supportive.”

Tom Roehl, who represents Johnstown’s 3rd Ward on the Fulton County Board of Supervisors, also was present at the public hearing. He voiced his support for the project, and said the project falls squarely within the city’s Pro-Housing Community initiatives.

“This is the kind of project that falls within your very proactive pro-housing initiative,” he said Monday. “We need to keep out seniors here, [and] we need to find a way, and this is a way. We need senior housing… we need it now. People who are on limited income, it’s hard to keep a house these days. We need to keep our seniors here.”

The proposed apartments will reside near to the city’s senior center. Director Diedrie Roemer said she is excited that the apartments will be so close, and that it will provide more opportunities for seniors in the city.

“I’m in full support of the affordable housing project,” she said Monday. “I think it’s wonderful that it’s located near the senior center, because we offer so many opportunities to our older adults in the community . . . I’ve had so many of our members express to me that they can’t wait for the applications to come out because as [Roehl] said, so many of them are unable to stay in their homes because the home can’t accommodate them, or they can’t afford it.”

Praught highlighted the need for more housing for seniors in the city. She said the grant application will be submitted by July 31, which is the state deadline.

“We need to provide housing for our seniors who can’t take care of their homes for whatever reason, because they’re getting older, upkeep, even finances,” she said Tuesday. “It’s expensive to maintain a home. We want to have a place where our seniors can go to, and still stay in our community and thrive.”

The city’s planning board will hold a public hearing regarding the project on at 4 p.m. Aug. 5 in the 2nd floor conference room in City Hall.

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