Will a mixed-use proposal for 68 acres adjacent to state hospital be a game changer for Norristown?

A preliminary proposal for townhouses, apartments, stores, flex space, and a public gathering place called a “piazza” on Norristown’s west side promises to be the borough’s largest-ever mixed-use development.

The $300 million Preserve at Stony Creek would rise on a prominent, parklike expanse of land along West Sterigere and Stanbridge Streets that was formerly part of the Norristown State Hospital campus. The facility remains in operation on a smaller scale as a psychiatric hospital.

“There aren’t a whole lot of opportunities to get 68 acres developed in Montgomery County,” said Thomas Lepera, president of Norristown’s Municipal Council. “This is a great opportunity for us to position Norristown in the regional marketplace. It’s a comeback.”

Lead developer Anthony E. Maras, president of the Pinnacle Realty Development Co. in Harleysville, said the proposal calls for a 728-unit mix of apartments and for-sale townhouses, as well as 60,000 square feet of retail space, including a grocery store.

“We can build studios and one- and two-bedroom apartments so not to have a big impact on the school district,” he said, adding that about 448 units would be for sale or rent-to-own townhouses, with the rest apartments. Townhouses could sell for between $300,000 and $400,000 in the current real estate market, and monthly apartment rents could start at about $1,200 for a studio.

The Preserve at Stony Creek also would include more than 200,000 square feet of what Maras described as a “tech campus” suitable for life science firms and for skills training programs to be offered by technical schools or trade unions.

The tech campus would be constructed on the site of a former Montgomery County shelter for people experiencing homelessness, which closed two years ago and will be demolished.

The Preserve’s new neighborhood of about 1,500 residents would be separate from the state hospital campus but would connect to the Norristown street grid and the regional trail network. It also would have ready access to the 600-plus acres of Norristown Farm Park.

Pennsylvania conveyed the 68 acres to the Montgomery County Redevelopment Authority last December. The authority will convey it to Norristown for purchase by the developer for a final price yet to be determined.

Maras said he hopes construction can begin within the next two years.

With 35,769 residents in 3.5 square miles, Norristown is densely populated and mostly developed. It’s the seat of Montgomery County and has good access to mass transit, as well as to the regional highway network. Norristown also is home to the Elmwood Park Zoo, which is celebrating its centennial.

Completion of the $415 million Montgomery County Justice Center project is expected in 2025 and has been seen as a boost to a downtown long in need of one. And the recent stay of execution for the historical Airy Street Prison has preservationists hopeful of finding a new use for that downtown landmark.

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Lepera, who’s 37 and grew up in Norristown, said many local residents have “lost trust” due to the collapse of splashy proposals in 2010 such as developer Brian O’Neill’s waterfront revitalization, as well as a separate film studio project that was supposed to make Norristown into “Hollywood East.”

Skepticism also was evident during presentations Maras made in March, said community activist Olivia Brady. who lives four blocks from the Preserve site.

“People were concerned about density, and traffic, and the schools,” she said.

Even the prospect that the development could include a 20,000- to 30,000-square-foot grocery store — Norristown lacks a major supermarket — raised eyebrows during the meeting Brady attended.

“Trader Joe’s was mentioned, and there was a feeling of disbelief in the room,” she said, adding that while “a well-planned development at that location could be beneficial, I’m taking a wait-and-see position, depending on what they’re going to do there.”

Russell Rubert, president of the Norristown Preservation Society, said he doesn’t support the proposal, even though it ”does call for some open space to be preserved” on the development site.

“I would hope to see any development fit naturally into the landscape and complement the historic nature of the area,” he said.

Along with Norristown architect Douglas Seiler, Rubert pointed out that a number of vintage buildings that were local landmarks were cleared from the site before the conveyance of the property.

“Norristown’s brand includes its historic buildings,” Seiler said. “I believe that most visitors to and users of the new development would have welcomed the juxtaposition.”

Pinnacle was selected in December from five responses to a request for proposals from the Redevelopment Authority for the 68-acre site.

“The last thing we want to see there is some sort of suburban development with wide streets and cul-de-sacs,” said Seth A. Shapiro, director of urban design with BartonPartners Architects in Norristown.

“This is an opportunity to create a street and open space system that’s pedestrian friendly,” said Shapiro, principal architect on the project. “The goal is to provide a variety of housing choices and making sure there is an integrated framework of streets, parks, and open spaces that knits them together.”

The proposal needs to be formally reviewed by the Montgomery County Planning Commission, an advisory body, or the municipal planning and zoning boards, and council.

In terms of the number of units, it‘s one of the largest the town has seen in a single project, said Scott France, the county planning commission’s executive director.

“We hope the project design brings a lot of benefits to the municipality,” he said. “We look forward to reviewing the evolving proposal when it’s ready and assisting in making it the best design it can be.”