TOPSHAM — The Planning Board will get a first look Tuesday at a Sebago couple’s plans to convert the former Amenity Manor nursing home on Elm Street into rental units.

Eric and Beth Herman submitted a sketch site plan application for 25 to 30 proposed residential units — primarily one-bedroom units but with some two-bedroom units — at 29 Elm St., the location of the former Amenity Manor.

The former long-term care facility closed in June 2011 when the operation moved to a new building in Brunswick, according to town assessing records.

The Hermans’ proposal to adapt the former Amenity Manor building into a multifamily dwelling building will require site plan and subdivision approvals, according to Town Planner Rich Roedner.

Site work would mainly involve landscaping to further define the boundaries of the existing parking lot. Because the project is expected to involve minimal site work and no new construction, Roedner will ask the board to determine if the project can go through preliminary and final subdivision review during the same public hearing.

While the property is located in the town’s historic overlay district, the project would only have to go to the Historic District Commission if structural changes or additions are proposed, Roedner said. Since only landscaping is planned, the commission won’t be involved.

The Hermans own two apartment buildings in Brunswick and a small building in Gardiner.

A memo from the Hermans to the Planning Board states, “The proposed project sits on 2.65 acres of which approximately 1 acre is developed. The remainder is undeveloped woodlands and a ravine leading to the Androscoggin River. We propose to economically and environmentally adaptively reuse the existing structure and parking for residential apartments.”

It also notes that, “Although we will be upgrading the utilities into the building, it is our intent to maintain the current look and retain (the) historical integrity of the building exterior.”

In a telephone interview Thursday, Eric Herman said the proposed 25 to 30 rental units represent a preliminary estimate. He confirmed that he and his wife intend to retrofit the building for apartments.

They are now in the process of “looking at square footage and trying to decide (whether to) work with the existing walls or do we kind of shell it all out and put in new walls,” not including the load-bearing walls.

The Hermans have contracted with TPD Construction owned by Tom Dumont and with whom they have worked previously, to design and complete work necessary to convert the vacant building to apartments.

“We’re not planning on doing granite tops and that kind of stuff, but we’re not trying to do a low end slum hole either,” Herman said.

He said they would set rents to create a mix of qualified tenants they feel will be a good fit for the building. As with apartments they own in Brunswick, the couple would accept Section 8 subsidized housing tenants, but wouldn’t have all Section 8 housing.

The property, owned by LTS Corp. according to the town’s assessing department, is under contract for purchase by the Hermans, according to Eric Herman.

Herman confirmed that Planning Board approval to convert the building to rental units is a condition of the sale, and added that the couple intends to buy and operate the multi-family rental building, rather than to fix it up and “flip it.” It is their plan to be in the rental business for a number of years, he said.

“At this point we self-manage,” Herman said. “We’re pretty hands-on with the management style. We pick our tenants and do maintenance and get involved in the day-to-day operation.”

Herman also does computer network and website work in the Greater Portland area, but as he and his wife pick up more units, “we’re spending more time doing apartments and landlording.”

Herman said interaction with the town’s planning staff makes him quite optimistic about the prospect of buying the former nursing home and converting it to apartments.

“I think overall we’re pretty excited about it,” he said. “It just seems like a pretty good opportunity that landed in front of us.”

The town’s current assessment for the vacant property — 2.65 acres with a 20,006- square-foot building — is $428,100. In 2011, when it housed Amenity Manor, the property was assessed at $1,667,000.

The meeting will start at 7 p.m. at the municipal building, located at 100 Main St.

dmoore@timesrecord.com