It’s a long way from concept to ribbon cutting in Lebanon, where “slow planning” is a definite trend, but developer Mike Davidson’s early plans for an apartment building behind the old junior high school are interesting at the very least. Apartments that would appeal to young renters within walking distance of downtown? Isn’t that the sort of development Lebanon wants and needs?

Davidson envisions a six-story building with 66 one-bedroom and studio units behind the old school, which he bought from the school district four years ago and converted into apartments. At first blush, development on that scale seems as though it might not fit in, but the lot is well below street level in the rear. Davidson says the new building wouldn’t be any taller than the junior high, and that aesthetics matter to him. “We’re not looking to build a vinyl-sided box,’’ he told the Planning Board last week at a very preliminary review. His goal, he said, would be to “make it as attractive as possible.’’ The location calls for that, since it would be so near the handsome old school building.

First impressions among Planning Board members were mixed. To Gregory Schwarz, the proposal seemed overly large, with too many units. Joan Monroe said its scale isn’t in keeping with homes and small businesses in the neighborhood. However, the old junior high is itself a large structure, and further developing that site squares with the city’s stated desire to encourage more housing downtown. And there’s the age thing. Planning Board member Bruce Garland said, rather directly, “If we’re going to stop Lebanon from sliding into a very large old-folks’ community, we need projects like this.” Jeremy Katz, who lives nearby, said the city is a great place to raise a family, but “actually a pretty lousy place to live if you’re a 20-year-old millennial or a 30-year-old single.” That truth becomes ever more apparent as local high school graduates leave for college, then move away to cities with amenities young people desire today. Not among them is an Upper Valley standby: a three-bedroom home on a quiet road and a long commute.

Downtown Lebanon has been on the upswing in recent years due to the success of restaurants and the offerings of the Lebanon Opera House and AVA Gallery and Art Center, to name two attractions. The Lebanon Farmers Market, along with an interesting series of outdoor summer concerts, draws big crowds and creates a liveliness that surprises visitors and longtime residents both. Another plus is the Northern Rail Trail, which passes right by the Davidson site.

Davidson won’t be bringing a final proposal to the city until this winter or next spring. Staff writer Tim Camerato reported that the developer will need several variances from the Zoning Board before a full Planning Board site plan review. Perhaps a second draft will take into account concerns about the sheer size of the proposed building. As always, the devil will be in the details, but Lebanon generally should be open to development of this type, particularly if some or all of the units are affordable. If the city can do something to encourage more young adults to live here, well, bring on the food trucks.