SANFORD – York County Community Action Corporation plans to convert a former children’s day care center into eight apartments in Sanford.

The Sanford Planning Board is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the proposal tonight when it meets at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 919 Main St.

If approved, the conversion of the former Children’s Center at 26 Amherst St. would begin later this fall, with a view to spring or summer occupancy, said York County Community Action Corporation executive director Barbara Crider.

“There is a significant need all over York County for quality, affordable housing,” said Crider. She described the units as workforce housing, designed for those with moderate incomes.

“There’s definitely a need for decent affordable rental housing,” said Joe Scala, one of Sanford’s city planners.

Documents on file at City Hall show plans for six one-bedroom apartments, one two-bedroom unit and one three-bedroom unit. Because of how the building is constructed, both upper and lower levels have walkout access to the outdoors.

The four apartments in the upper level are described as efficiency one-bedroom units, offering a minimum of 535 square feet. The four units on the main level consist of one two-bedroom unit at a minimum of 720 square feet, one three-bedroom unit at 920 square feet and two one- bedroom units at 535 square feet.

Each of the family units on the lower level is designed to have fenced yard and play areas for children, according to the application on file with the city’s planning department.

YCCAC had hoped to convert the building into an inter-generational center, where child care and adult day services would function separately in the building, but come together for a time each day.

Crider said the agency just couldn’t make the funding  work for an inter-generational facility.

“We tried every which way,” she said.

The Children’s Center had been operated by Child Care Services of York County for many years, until it shuttered in 2015. YCCAC bought the building a short time later.

A portion of the building has been used as the location for Southern Maine Agency on Aging’s Meals on Wheels program for the last couple of years.

City records show the masonry building was constructed in 1989. It is assessed at $395,300.

The project isn’t the agency’s first foray into housing. YCCAC owns the 40-unit Patriot Place, in south Sanford, which is manged by Avesta Housing. As well, Sanford Housing Authority provides property maintenance services  for two multi-unit dwellings owned by YCCAC in Sanford, said Crider. SHA will maintain the Amherst Street property as well.

Sanford’s Site Pan Review Committee heard the application on Tuesday morning and will recommend to the Planning Board that it be approved, said Sanford Planning Director Beth Della Valle.

The project is funded by a grant from Maine State Housing Authority and through the Genesis Community Loan Fund.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 780-9016 or twells@journaltribune.com.