REC board exploring other options for intergenerational community project

Marcia Moore, The Daily Item, Sunbury, Pa.
·3 min read

Feb. 3—SELINSGROVE — The sale of the Selinsgrove Inn has the Regional Engagement Center (REC) board considering other options for its proposed intergenerational community project.

"It's a vision we'd like to see come into existence," said REC board member Marvin Rudnitsky on Friday.

The REC board applied for and was awarded last year a highly competitive $2 million state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grant to purchase the Selinsgrove Inn at 214 N. Market St. and develop an intergenerational community center.

This week, the inn was sold to Celso and Margarida Leite, of Bucks County, who intend to continue operating it as a hotel.

Rudnitsky said the sale of the inn won't derail the REC's plans.

Rudnitsky — who serves on the REC board and is the father of REC president Kelly Feiler — is also president of the Selinsgrove borough council. He said the REC is exploring other ways to bring the intergenerational community proposal to life. Possible methods include potentially purchasing property near the Selinsgrove Inn or partnering with Keystone Real Estate Group, of State College, which is proposing an 84-bed assisted living facility on 18th Street in Penn Township.

He said the REC board and Feiler are "engaged in discussion" with the developers of the assisted living facility about adding a REC-run youth center to create the intergenerational community.

"It's possible the REC could have two locations where we'd have to invest in transportation," Rudnitsky said. The REC center, located at 429 Eighth St. in Selinsgrove, opened in 2017 and offers a three-hour after-school program, summer camp and exercise classes.

As for the other alternative, Rudnitsky said he's not sure if Scott Shaffer, former owner of the Selinsgrove Inn and owner of property adjacent to the hotel on West Snyder Street, would be willing to sell. Shaffer was not available for comment Friday.

A proposed purchase of the inn and adjacent property, which includes a building leased by Bayada Home Health Care, were part of the RACP proposal submitted by the REC to develop senior housing and a youth center.

Former state Sen. John Gordner delivered a $2 million grant to the REC last year, but the nonprofit agency had to file an extension in November when it was unable to meet the deadline to submit a formal application.

With the sale of Selinsgrove Inn to another party, Rudnitsky said, it's "possible" the RACP grant is no longer available but he said the project may be adapted.

It is unknown whether a matching $1.5 million U.S. Housing and Urban Development grant for the project that has been supported by U.S. Sen. Bob Casey is still available if the REC project does not include housing.

The REC's project has been the source of a lot of discussion on the borough council for the past year, particularly since the REC has experienced severe financial difficulty despite receiving $60,000 a year in public funds from the borough-run Rudy Gelnett Trust Fund every year.

According to reports filed by the REC, which has an annual operating budget of about $250,000 and payroll of at least $130,000, as of October the center was operating at a nearly $73,000 loss.