Gratz housing grabs $1.2 million for green upgrades

GRATZ – With $1.2 million in stimulus greenbacks, a Dauphin County housing facility is slated for “green” energy-saving renovations this year.
U.S. Congressman Tim Holden, D-17, made the presentation Monday to the Dauphin County Housing Authority for Gratz Park Terrace, a 30-unit housing facility for elderly and disabled persons. The funds are part of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Capital Fund Program Competitive Grant.
The Dauphin County Housing Authority secured the $1,240,000 grant through a nationwide competition with other housing authorities.  The motivation for this project came from the fact that Gratz Park Terrace is an all electric building that just experienced a significant increase in electricity rates due to the expiration of the rate caps in Pennsylvania. The Gratz facility, at 100 S. West St., is heated by electric heat pumps, and residents pay their own electric utility bills. The improvements are projected to lower the electric consumption at the site by as much as 50- to 75-percent.
To control the increasing cost of operating the property in the long term, the housing authority will conduct comprehensive, energy related rehabilitation of the site.  Those upgrades  will include: the replacement of a deteriorated building exterior with more sustainable concrete materials; increasing the R-value of the exterior walls by installing a soy-based insulation; replacing the existing windows with new energy efficient single-hung windows with more sustainable fiberglass frames and sashes; reconstructing the front entrance with a more thermally efficient design; replacing the asphalt shingles roof with a more sustainable metal roof; installing roof top solar panels to  heat all of the domestic hot water in the building; redesigning and installing a more energy effiecient hallway HVAC system, and installing a wind turbine on the site to generate electricity for the building.
The wind turbine (windmill) will be equipped with a reversible meter to sell excess energy generation back to the energy grid.
Holden said it was important to make the facility energy efficient for its residents.
“I’m pleased we were able to get the stimulus money out as soon as possible and that we’ll be able to put people to work and put money into the economy as quickly as possible,” the congressman said.
Joining Holden were Dauphin County Housing Authority’s Executive Director Charles Gassert; Deputy Executive Director Leo Agresti; Authority Chairman William Pettigrew Sr.; Authority Treasurer Nancy Thompson; and Regional Manager David R. Weaver.
Gassert said he remembered when the building first opened in 1985, the facility kept “losing shingles to the wind,” which drew laughs from some of the residents.  “Maybe we can put the wind to good use,” he said.
President of the Gratz Borough Council, Larry R. Shade, and about a dozen residents were on hand for the announcement.  Many favored the upgrades.
“I think it’s great. I’m already very happy here,” said 89-year-old Helen P. Knisely, a nine-year resident.
Kay L. Weaver (no relation to David Weaver) said she enjoys the hot water she currently has available and hopes that would continue with the new system. 
“If it turns out to be what they’re saying it will be, I think it will be nice,” she said.
Agresti said the authority members visited residents before making the grant application and secured their input during an open process. He expects the county will seek bids in March, potentially award bids by April, and possibly begin the improvements by as early as May.  The company, KD3, of Lemoyne, is scheduled to work as the engineering firm for the project, Agresti said.
“Most of the building work should be completed by this summer,” Agresti confirmed.
This past week, a 90-foot-tall data collection tower was installed on the east side of the Gratz facility.  After a six-month time-frame, there should be enough data gathered to determine the feasibility for a wind turbine.  ARM, of Hershey, is the firm handling the wind power portion of the slated upgrades.
Dave Weaver said the authority has 137 apartments in the northern part of the county that it oversees.  Among them are facilities for the elderly and disabled including 30 units at Gratz; and 37 apartments at Rattling Creek in Lykens; and several apartments for low-income families, including 20 units at Minnich Terrace, Lykens-Wiconisco; 10 apartments at Grubb Terrace, Williamstown; and 40 units at Laurel Hill in Williamstown. Residents’ rent at those facilities is based on their income. For more information, visit www.dauphinhousing.org.

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