Montgomery County · Upper Providence · MCPC #26-0225-001
Cypress Place at Royersford Baptist
Lewis Road, Upper Providence, PA · 40 homes, apartments · 4.59 acres
About this project
Cypress Place will construct 40 apartments for workforce housing on part of a property on Lewis Road in Upper Providence that also contains Royersford Baptist Church. The church retains its facilities on the other portion through a ground lease arrangement with the developer.
County planning commission: Supports, with comments
Issues raised: Workforce housing definition restricted to faith-based institutional sites, Design modifications needed to reduce canyon-like effect, Workforce housing should be permitted in other zoning districts, Zoning ordinance language requires clarification and reorganization
- Applicant
- Mission First Housing Development Corp. and Cypress Place, LLC
- Engineer / rep.
- Van Cleef Engineering
- Zoning
- R-2 w/ IN Overlay
- Approvals needed
- zoning ordinance text amendment, land development plan
Filing history
- 2026-09-03 · MCPC #26-0225-001 · Land Dev Plan, Sketch Plan · 40 homes
County review letters
2026-09-03 · UPROV 26-0225-001r.pdf
The full picture AI research · Nov 2, 2026
Cypress Place is a proposed apartment building for workforce housing on Lewis Road in Upper Providence Township. County records list 40 apartments on about 4.59 acres. The land is part of a property that also holds Royersford Baptist Church.
The church keeps its buildings on the rest of the site. The developer would build on the other portion under a ground lease, meaning it rents the land and does not buy it.
A local news report from August 2024 described an earlier version with 48 units. It said rents would be aimed at local workers and set roughly 30 percent below the local market. It also said the developer planned to seek state tax credits and county funding. That report mentioned no organized opposition. The unit count appears to have changed since then.
What it could mean nearby
- Adds 40 apartments aimed at local workers, which could ease demand for lower-cost rentals nearby.
- Traffic and access on Lewis Road would likely be reviewed as part of township plan review. The records found give no traffic figures.
- The church stays on the site, so it keeps its existing use.
Where it stands
The county's latest filing is dated 2026-09-03, so the plan is still under local review and nothing found shows a final approval. Next steps usually include township planning commission and supervisor review, and then funding and permit approvals.
- Sep 3, 2026 Latest county filing for the project
- Aug 21, 2024 Developer and church planned an early-feedback presentation to the Upper Providence Planning Commission
- Aug 2024 Local news report on the proposal, which then listed 48 units
Want to weigh in? The Upper Providence Planning Commission and the township supervisors review land development plans at public meetings, where residents can usually comment. Check the township's meeting agendas for dates.
Who's behind it
Mission First Housing Development Corp. · A Philadelphia-based nonprofit housing group, per a third-party profile, that develops affordable housing.
Around the web
- Affordable housing project proposed in RoyersfordPatch · Aug 16, 2024Reports the early proposal beside the church on Lewis Road, with 48 units, rent targets, funding plans and a planning commission preview.
Planning terms explained
- Workforce housing
- Rental homes priced for people with moderate incomes, such as local workers who struggle to afford market rents.
- Ground lease
- An arrangement where the developer rents the land long-term instead of buying it.
- Planning commission
- A local advisory board that reviews development plans and makes recommendations to elected officials.
- Low-Income Housing Tax Credit
- A government program that helps fund affordable apartments by giving investors tax credits.
Researched by AI from public sources on Nov 2, 2026. It can make mistakes, so check the linked sources and the municipality before relying on it.
Scope estimate for contractors
Estimated construction value: $9.6M
- ~240 roofing squares
- ~40 HVAC systems
- ~40 kitchens / 80+ bathrooms
- ~40,000 sq ft of finished living space
- ~2.0 acres of site work (grading, stormwater, landscaping)
- Ground lease arrangement with existing faith-based institution
- Zoning ordinance amendment enabling new use type
- Condominium structure with shared common elements
- Federal low-income housing tax credit (9% LIHTC) financing
- County funding from Office of Housing and Community Development
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