A number of Nesquehoning residents are concerned about parking around a senior housing complex in the center of the borough.

Nearly two dozen residents attended a zoning hearing for an application from Eli Goldwasser of Brooklyn, New York, owner of Nesquehoning Apartments, for a parking variance at 90 E. Catawissa St., as a result of converting an existing community room/senior center and basement into additional units in the building.Goldwasser testified that the building currently has 32 one-bedroom units, as well as 15 off-street parking spaces for the residents. Tenants in the building are low- to medium-income senior citizens.The renovation project he is proposing calls for constructing three one-bedroom units on the basement level, as well as moving the current community room, which is used as the Panther Valley Senior Center, down to the back portion of the basement in the former high school gymnasium. The area where the center is on the main level would then be converted into two additional one-bedroom units.Goldwasser said that parking is not a problem at the building because most residents don't own a vehicle, so the 15 spots are adequate to hold the current tenant vehicles, plus an additional five tenants after the renovation project is completed.He said he was told that on average, there are 10 vehicles in the parking lot area of the building.Nesquehoning zoning officer Gene Kennedy testified that in 1997, the borough granted a parking variance to the previous owner of the building because at the time, it felt it was adequate.But many residents said that the building and lack of parking has become a major issue for that area as the years went on.Martin McFadden, who lives across the street from the side of the building on Almond Street, said he sees that parking is an issue because more seniors have vehicles than the owner realizes, and the fact that the senior center operates there brings in seniors from around the Panther Valley, who don't park in the lot, but rather on Catawissa and Almond streets."I think you got the big variance in 1997," he said. "I think there is a necessity for additional parking spaces. There are more than 10 cars in that lot on average in a day."He said an area next to the building that houses picnic tables and a boccie court was originally supposed to be additional parking, but the previous owner decided to not do that.Borough councilman Frank Jacobs said parking has been a longtime problem, even requiring meetings with the previous owner and Carbon County Community Transit, which operates bus service and parks in the front of the building on Catawissa Street to allow seniors public transportation, about the parking situation because people were having issues pulling out from Almond Street; as well as trucks unable to navigate the turn off Mill Street onto Almond because of the seniors parking down there.He agreed with McFadden about the original plans calling for the area between the former high school and old theater to be additional parking, and noted that he never sees people out there besides grabbing a cigarette."Hopefully we can work this out and he (Goldwasser) can continue to do what he wants to do with the building," Jacobs said.Resident John Kane asked how many residents have vehicles, and attorney Carole Walbert, who was representing Goldwasser, said they could find out by calling there, but did not have a definitive number.Walbert said to the residents who testified that they are saying there is a general parking problem in Nesquehoning.Diane Collura, co-owner of Classic Beverage across the street from the apartment, said yes, but in that immediate area, 90 percent of the parking issues are a result of the lack of parking for the seniors either living in or utilizing that building.She and her husband testified that they know of at least three residents who park in front of the beer store and Blazosky's on Catawissa Street on a daily basis, as well as numerous seniors from around the Panther Valley parking on the street to go into the senior center.She said that the parking issues have created problems with not leaving enough space in front of her store and forces tractor-trailers delivering product to double-park on the street, creating yet another hazard for motorists."I actually had a senior walk under a forklift while there was a pallet of beer on the lift," she said.Funeral director Daniel Blazosky, who operates the Joseph Blazosky Funeral Home across the street with his father, Joseph, said that the lack of off-street parking for the seniors ripples out because they then park next to his business, which normally isn't a problem."With putting five extra apartments there, I want to voice my reasons," he said "I don't want residents coming and parking permanently on the side of my funeral home because what happens when I have a funeral going on and need to get a casket out or get people in?"He said that right now, the funeral home puts out cones 24 hours in advance and does not have problems, but "five more people and five more cars, where do those cars go?"Nesquehoning Hose Company Fire Chief John McArdle also questioned the development of the fourth floor because in 1997, it was decided that the basement would remain undeveloped because it would create a four-story building and certain codes would be put into place. He also asked if the alarm system would be updated, because right now, the fire department receives dozens of calls on an annual basis from the building.After a short recess to discuss the residents' concerns and suggestions, Walbert asked for a continuance to allow her clients to address some of the concerns related to the parking and present additional testimony.The hearing will now continue before the zoning hearing board at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 23 in the borough hall meeting room.