The former Sheridan Elementary School on Sheridan Avenue in WIlliamsport. KAREN VIBERT-KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Williamsport City Council positioned a city-based developer for his potential use of the former Sheridan Elementary School.

A subdivision at 915 Sheridan St. for Ben Stopper, Jr. was approved on first reading.

Stopper bought the building in 2013 at an auction for $435,000.

Stopper will get a one-lot subdivision with the vote.

The total plan contains 4.644 acres and the residual will be 1.609 acres, said Gary Knarr, city zoning officer.

The subdivision is a vacant field as one parcel to be shared with the school with a parking lot that will be a separate parcel.

Upon learning that Stopper had Alice Trowbridge, a representative, attend the meeting, Councilman Eric Beiter said he would be lacking to do his due diligence if he didn’t ask if there was any proposed plan for either one of those parcels and why they were being subdivided at this point when they’ve been owned for several years now.

“As far as I know it was the idea of separating the building from the vacant area,” Trowbridge said.

“I do not know of any development plans at this point,” she said.

Others interested in the property are finding it hard pressed to basically invest their money in the school in order to basically do something with it.

Stopper relayed through the city that he believes it is more feasible that it was separated and it was just the school area with the parking that he could get developers to be more interested in.

It lies within the residential zone and that makes developing for multi-family residential purposes hard, Knarr said.

“So that’s why he’s looking at subdividing that to get developers to basically at least utilize this school,” he said.

Councilman Randy Allison asked Knarr if the large lot being separated could always be accessed from Sherman Street?

“That is correct,” Knarr replied.

Councilwoman Liz Miele said her understanding of this subdivision is Stopper views himself as a pass through for this property as he tries to find developers.

“I’ve been in conversation with probably over the last year three or four different developers trying to figure out what they could do there,” Knarr said.

The challenge is because it is in a residential zone.

Stopper said upon purchase in 2013 – “I’ll think of something (to do with the building).”

The property sits on about 6 acres of land. The two-story building is more than 27,000 square feet in size. The building is over 110 years old.

Stopper said the land wasn’t ever the main focus of his purchase.

“The building attracted me more than the land,” he said in a prior interview.

The plan was reviewed by both Lycoming County planning and city planning commissions.

Council approved it contingent on a maintenance right-of-way.

There’s going to be a right-of-way off of the Sheridan area and that requires a road maintenance agreement that was submitted and was reviewed by solicitor Austin White. He found it lacking and requested a modification.

The overall plan meets everything within the zoning requirements, which include lot size and setbacks of the building structure.

Council approved the subdivision on condition that the solicitor approves the right-of-way maintenance agreement prior to it being recorded in deed.

There are some minor conversations back-and-forth on the right-of-way maintenance agreement with Stopper as well as White.

Council approved the subdivision on a condition that prior to it being recorded that it is reviewed for a road right-of-way maintenance agreement approved by the solicitor.

Councilman Jon Mackey and Councilman Vince Pulizzi were absent.