Known for his Graystone line of apartment complexes, Long plans to create 30 one- and two-bedroom apartments on the upper floors of the Penn Central building across from the Post Office, with commercial space on the first floor.

The approximately $8 million project will take about two years, he estimated.

Workers will completely gut the six-story building, which is steel-framed with concrete floors and roof and a 6,000-square-foot outline, according to Long.

Because of three decades of leaks, the supports for the roof will need to be redone, Long said.

A rear view of the former Thompson Pharmacy building shows the area that is slated to be turned into a parking lot for residents of the renovated Penn Central building, seen at center in the background, in downtown Altoona. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

The apartments will have “high-end” finishes, including quartz counter tops and crown molding for the apartments and marble on the first floor, Long said.

Workers will restore the ornate terra cotta cornice on the facade, he said.

Long hopes that a single commercial tenant will occupy the first floor, although it could be subdivided to accommodate several tenants, Long said.

Except for a small, low-interest loan from Altoona Blair County Development Corp., the project will be self-financed, Long said.

“It will be a brand new building when it’s done,” Long said.

The Penn Central Building is located along 12th Street in downtown Altoona. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

Long bought the property from fellow developer Christopher Cook earlier this year for $250,000.

In 2021, Cook had been planning a similar project for the Penn Central.

Since that time, Cook has completed the renovation of another major downtown building, the former McCrory’s — with the financial help of Long, who bought a 51% interest in that project.

Prior to closing on the Penn Central, Long obtained a commitment for the building that formerly housed Thompson Pharmacy and Mrs. Grove’s Pastries and an M&T Bank drive-thru behind it, so that he could raze those structures to create a parking lot for the Penn Central occupants.

The lot will hold 90 vehicles.

The former Thompson Pharmacy building, which also housed Mrs. Grove's bakery, is seen in downtown Altoona. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

“Parking is the key to doing any project downtown,” Long said.

He discussed the parking lot plan beforehand with city officials, and they’re “fine with it,” Long said.

When complete, the Penn Central building will become the first in a new division of Long’s Graystone line, which until now has served individuals aged 55 and up.

It will be known as a Graystone Metro facility, and will serve residents of all ages, Long said.

Long has a total of 23 Graystone properties in Blair, Cambria, Huntingdon, Jefferson, Centre, and Clearfield counties, including three projects that are underway.

Long started in the construction business in 1980, building single-family homes.

Twenty years later, he built three personal care homes under the Colonial Courtyard banner, according to his company’s website.

He then began building the Graystones.

He started with seven.

He’s adding one in Lilly and one in Philipsburg — the latter of which will include 19 cottage homes.

As a followup to the Graystone Court projects, Long began building Graystone Court Villas, with six such facilities in place now, according to the website. The villas have more floors, larger apartments and amenities like game rooms, fitness centers, restaurants, salons, indoor pools and semi-private parking garages.

In 2020, Long began redeveloping the former Bon Secours hospital, turning it into the Grande Palazzo, which comprises apartments with a variety of layouts, including penthouses; shops, a salon and spa, a restaurant, a boutique, a purse shop, a coffee house, a dental office, a hearing aid center and a physical therapy facility, with a recently constructed addition called the Casa Bella that includes a parking garage, rooftop lounge, pickleball court and half-size basketball court.

Long has also built three Graystone Manors, which include personal care amenities — one on the second floor of the Grande Palazzo complex, one in Bellmeade and one in Huntingdon.

And he has recently constructed the Graystone Cottage Community in Spruce Creek, with 81 homes, a common grounds and clubhouse.

When the projects already underway are completed, Long will have approximately 2,000 housing units.

The business is owned by Long and his wife Vikki under the banner of Jeff S. Long Construction, with each building a separate limited liability company, Long said.

“The whole key is having really good managers at each property,” Long said.

Each has its own manager and maintenance crew, he said.

“So that I can spend most of my time building new (projects),” he said.

There are a total of 275 employees in his organization, he said.

Vikki’s sister Anita Snyder is the general manager and Long’s daughter Emily Branstetter is her assistant, Long said.

“I have good people working for me,” Long said.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.