Construction Work Continues on
Manor Heights Apartments 

Work began on Manor Heights, a 70-unit affordable family rental community, in January of 2006 and is slated to be completed by the end of the year.  Located in Manor Township, south of Columbia Avenue, it will include 35 two-bedroom units and 35 three-bedroom units.  The project is being developed by The Ingerman Group from Wilmington, Delaware, a unique “all-in-one” company that will be serving as builder, realtor and rental agent for the housing project, as well as developer.  $1.2 million in HOME Investment Partnership Funds have been awarded to Manor Heights Apartments.

Several other aspects of the project make it unique.  The affordable housing units are on an approximate 11-acre tract of land that will be subdivided from a larger tract that will include an additional 66 market-rate, for-sale townhouses.  As Manor Heights is located in one of the largest growth areas of Lancaster County, approximately 600 new residential homes are expected to be developed on this site, as well as the neighboring Eagle Heights and Fieldcrest subdivisions over the next five years.

The building materials being used for the Manor Heights project also set it apart.

Cementitious siding - a light weight concrete that doesn’t decay, holds paint longer and looks like wood siding - will cover much of the exterior units and fiberglass shingles will be used on the roofs.  As required by Manor Township’s fire-code ordinance, the buildings will include masonry separation walls between each unit  and will also include precast plank framing to separate the eight apartments from the upstairs units in the five-unit buildings.  This will provide both greater fire protection and sound isolation.

Vinyl corlon tile (VCT) flooring will be used in the kitchen and bathrooms, and the rest of the units’ living areas will be fully carpeted.  VCT is a commercial grade, high quality tile.  Also,  this project is Energy Star compliant, and each apartment will be “right-sized” for high-efficiency gas-fired heating and air-conditioning units, High-efficiency 40-gallon hot water heaters will be provided in each unit, as will high energy efficient windows, which will increase the insulation value of the units.

 Eight of the apartments will be handicapped accessible and will include four two-bedroom units and four three-bedroom units, which is twice the required amount of handicapped accessible units.

 The site of the Manor Heights project is hilly and affords very scenic views of the surrounding countryside, which includes vast wooded areas, and a branch of the Little Conestoga Creek  which runs through the property.  Much of the wooded areas will be permanently preserved, and rather than leveling much of the site, the architecture was designed to conform to its natural character with minimal site disturbance.