Orphan of a Zoning Divorce

When it comes to improving Pottstown’s economic health, is a vacant house better than an apartment building?

Apparently, there’s no easy answer to that question. 

But a large Victorian on East High Street -- beside apartment houses owned by landlords who take care of their property -- is a reminder that something needs to change.

Once upon a time, the large stone house, now boarded over with aging plywood, was zoned to encourage owner occupancy and prevent its transformation into an apartment building.

The plan didn’t work. Today, the place is empty and decaying. 

That’s especially troubling for Deb Campbell. She and her husband Doug, real estate agents and landlords, own apartment buildings next door to the vacant house. 

The couple worked with local historians to rebuild their East High Street properties after a fire destroyed the buildings a few years back. They put a lot of effort, attention to detail into the rebuilding, are proud of the outcome and say they do their part to help strengthen property values in the area.

Unfortunately, their abandoned neighbor can’t benefit from the same tender loving care a potential landlord could give the property, Deb Campbell said.

“We could have found an investor for it,” she said and added that the building’s single-family zoning turned off prospective buyers. 

“You have to have  . . . good landlords that take care of properties,” she said. “You need responsible investors that are present landlords helping the area.” 

Unlike some other landlords in the area, the Campbells work hard to earn an income from tenants while maintaining pretty buildings that fit with the town's historic character. 

“I’ve always wanted to be a good landlord,” Deb Campbell said. 

And despite her view of next door, “We are definitely trying to make Pottstown better,” she said. 

If landlords such as the Campbells can maintain clean, neat properties, fill an obvious need for rental housing, contribute tax dollars to the community and fit in with the borough's historic appearance, why fight their attempt to breathe life into a dying piece of Pottstown's history?