The Oswego Planning and Zoning Commission has rejected a proposal for a residential development to be built at the former location of Traughber Junior High School, a staple in the Oswego area.
“I can understand the school district’s desire to dispose of the property because it’s something they’re no longer using… and I think there could be some good proposals,” said Charlie Pajor, chairman of the Oswego Planning and Zoning Commission. “But obviously, myself and the rest of the commissioners did not feel that this was a good plan for that parcel.”
The proposal saw the building located at 61 Franklin Street, which is occasionally used as a food pantry, to be torn down and replaced with two five-story buildings containing 128 residential units and four three-story buildings containing 88 units.
“It was a very intense use for that site, especially the number of members had real concerns about the height of the buildings that were included,” said Pajor.
The building was formerly the site of Traughber Junior High until its move to its current location in 2008. It was then used as a site for a family YMCA until its closure in 2018.
Although no current OH students would have experienced this location in their own educational experiences, OH LRC Director Drew Mundsinger was a former student there.
“I graduated from Traughber Junior High School in 1988,” Mundsinger said. “So I was there for sixth grade, seventh grade, and eighth grade,” he recalled.
Since its vacancy in 2018, the building has had several bids to be redeveloped, with all of them ultimately falling through. Including a 2018 proposal to turn it into senior housing, and so did a 2019 plan by The Resurrection Church of Fox Valley for $2.85 million.
“In terms of tearing it down and building something there. I mean, there is a fairly large piece of land, I just don’t know. I leave it to smarter people than me to really decide what’s best for that area,” said Mundsinger.
Despite concerns from the zoning committee and locals, some students who have connections to the building see its possible replacement as a positive change.
“I don’t really see many negatives to this. It’s housing opportunities, as much as it takes away from me being able to use it for charity, I think they’re going to move to a different area anyway,” said OH senior and food pantry volunteer, Malachi Curtis.
According to him, more housing would bring more good than bad to the village.
“I think it’s a great idea in this area,” Curtis said. “Housing is weirdly priced no matter what you do, and having one that is close to like the schools in the area works very good, especially for middle and high school.”
As the debate goes on regarding the proposed housing complex, it’s ultimately for the school district to decide what will happen to the property.
“The school will decide… if they dispose of that property, who they dispose of it to, and whoever buys it will have to come up with a plan that fits with what the village believes is the appropriate use,” said Pajor.
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[…] initially proposed the development to the Village Planning and Zoning Commission Sept 4. After the Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended not to approve the plan, JM Development revised it and proposed it to the Village Board of Trustees on Oct. 21, where it […]