Plan Commission Acts on Church, Apartment Buildings

The Effingham City Plan Commission Tuesday approved site plans for a new home for Effingham Bible Church and for two apartment buildings.

The church building will be built along Hoffman Drive, east across from Wright at Home Interiors and Village Square Mall.  The structure will be a single-story 5,400-square-foot front area and a 2,880-square-foot auxiliary area extending to the east.  There will be a circle drive in front of the building and parking on the north and south sides of the facility.

The congregation had been meeting in the former Assembly of God building on West Jefferson but is now leasing space in the Lincolnland Building to make way for a teen center in the West Jefferson facility.

The Plan Commission also approved a site plan for two five-unit apartment buildings to be developed along the north side of Washington Avenue between First and Willow Streets.  The five units in each building will consist of three town houses and two apartments.  Scott Conant is developing the buildings for MJ Properties, made up of Manny and Joey Trupiano.  Conant said the plan is to develop the westernmost building and see how it fills up before building the easternmost building.  A single-family home on the property will be removed before the easternmost building is constructed. 

Some neighbors had questions as to whom will the units be marketed?  Conant said the units will be nice.

The Plan Commission also recommended the City Council rezone the apartment site from general commercial to multiple dwelling district.