Thursday, December 6, 2012
Bala Cywynd apartment complex has implications across the river.
A proposed Bala Cywnyd apartment complex could impact parking and traffic in Manayunk, some residents feared, as a bridge over the river will be rehabbed. Members of the Wissahickon Neighbors Civic Association Monday listened as developers from O'Neill Properties described a 593-unit, two-building apartment complex set for construction over the Schuylkill River in Lower Merion Township at the former Connelly Container Corp. site. Although all of the new renters will live outside the city, the rehabilitation of the Pencoyd Bridge will divert some traffic to Main Street. Located on Righters Ferry Road in Bala Cynwyd, the two buildings featuring one and two-bedroom apartments was approved by the neighboring municipality. On site, 890 parking …
40.016363
-75.211292
3800 Main St, Philadelphia, PA
/articles/penncoyd-bridge-rehab-could-bring-new-parking-lot-to-manayunk
/locations/8313414
Monday, November 26, 2012
L & I Review Board hears new appeal at 102 Rochelle Ave.
Continuing its strategy to ward off multi-family properties, a Wissahickon neighborhood group faces off against a property owner in court Tuesday. The Wissahickon Interested Citizens Association takes developer David Branigan to the Licenses and Inspections Review Board again Nov. 27 regarding the future of 102 Rochelle Ave. This is the second attempt from the civic at preventing Branigan from renting out the home to multiple tenants. WICA Vice President Chip Roller announced the appeal in an email to members over the holiday, calling people's attention to the lengthy battle: "Remember, this unwelcomed process is a marathon not a sprint." Branigan purchased the property earlier this year from the estate of Edwin Lasota, who rented the home…
40.01668
-75.20813
102 Rochelle Ave, Philadelphia, PA
/articles/wissahickon-civic-fights-new-battle-on-rochelle-ave
/locations/8211052
Property owner invites residents to view 16 Shawmont Ave.
Local civic association occasionally clash with real estate developers, but at a Shawmont Avenue property, the neighborhood group and property owner look to work together. Shawmont residents are invited to 16 Shawmont Ave. Monday at 4 p.m. to walk the site where four single-family homes (two twins) are proposed by Ralph Sposato, according to the Residents of Shawmont Valley Association. Sposato lives at the 5.5-acre property and wants to build and manage four new homes. He intends on continuing to reside at his current home and won't sell the subdivided property. He'll rent and serve as landlord. At the Oct. 11 civic association meeting, Sposato shared his plans and invited residents out to walk the grounds. That date is Monday. The civic …
40.04642
-75.24824
16 Shawmont Ave, Philadelphia, PA
/articles/shawmont-can-check-out-property-twin-home-property
/locations/8211130
Friday, November 16, 2012
Civic association and Artesano Iron Works hammer out details to grow banquet hall.
The Manayunk civic group and Artesano Iron Works nearly forged an agreement on an expansion for the wrought iron show room/catering hall, with the final details potentially ironed out prior to a zoning hearing next week. Located at 4446 Cresson St., Artesano Iron Works proposes to link its original property with 4457 Main St. to better accommodate the catering component to its business. At its Nov. 7 meeting, the Manayunk Neighborhood Council voiced support for the project, but wanted precautions to avoid future headaches. "The agreement needs to clearly state that this is not a restaurant and it's not a bar... We don't want Mad River at one end of the street and Mad Bridge at the other end," MNC member Hilary Langer said. Artesano Iron …
40.02726
-75.22628
Artesano Iron Works
4446 Cresson St, Philadelphia, PA
/articles/artesano-nears-approval-for-manayunk-expansion
1264505
/locations/8150974
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Three homes planned for site.
A Roxborough property owner began demolition on a Lyceum Avenue home Wednesday. Despite petitions and pleas from residents, Andrew Thomas exercised his property rights and legally acquired city permits to take a wrecking ball to 368 Lyceum Ave. The owner plans to build three homes. Neighbors learned of the home's fate in late October and attempted to preserve it from destruction, just as they did with the historical Bunting House at 5901 Ridge Ave. Unlike with that home, neighbors never reached an agreement with Thomas, who is also building homes at Monastery Avenue. Workers cut down trees Oct. 25, causing rumors to swirl that the home would fall Oct. 29. Hurricane Sandy delayed that action—but not for long. After the storm, crews …
Friday, October 26, 2012
Developer plans to demolish 368 Lyceum Ave. for three houses.
Disclosure: The editor lives in a neighboring property to the one in the article. Simultaneously as neighbors posted an online petition to save 368 Lyceum Ave. from a wrecking ball, construction crews took chainsaws to trees along the Roxborough property. For the second time in a month, neighbors work to preserve an historical Roxborough home that property owners secured city permission to demolish. Andrew Thomas received zoning permission to build three homes currently at the site of 368 Lyceum Ave., according to city records. Joshua Cohen, special adviser to City Councilman Curtis Jones, Jr., said the plan is permitted by right and the developer did not need neighborhood permission to knock down the Gothic home. "They have a new …
40.03047
-75.21833
368 Lyceum Ave, Philadelphia, PA
/articles/another-roxborough-home-could-bite-the-dust
/locations/8068711
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Property owners say they only wish to redraw lot lines.
Although legalese may have caused at least one resident to think otherwise, two Manayunk Avenue property owners aren't bringing in any new apartments. One Manayunk Avenue property owner needs neighborhood and city support before he can sell his garage to a neighbor. But that's all they're asking for, the owners said Tuesday. Justin Perkins lives at 3918 Manayunk Ave. and has rented his garage, below on Manor Street, to Michael Pattanite, Jr., a neighbor from that street, for more than four years. Essentially, the property owners propose a redrawing of lot lines. No building will take place and uses for the property will remain the same—two separate single-family homes and one detached garage. "I just don't want to pay rent anymore. It's …
40.02232
-75.2126
3918 Manayunk Ave, Philadelphia, PA
/articles/no-apartments-planned-for-3900-manayunk-ave-zoning-proposal
/locations/8052873
Thursday, October 18, 2012
New zoning code rule forces hearing delay.
With support from both the city councilman and neighborhood civic group, Northern Children's Services thought its Merrick Hall expansion proposal was a slam dunk before the zoning board Wednesday. However, new rules in the city's zoning code forced delayed approval, for at least one week. The human services facility with a campus at 5301 Ridge Ave. proposed major renovations to its historical (and currently vacant) Merrick Hall to expand housing for young, single mothers. Both the Wissahickon Interested Citizens Association and Office of Councilman Curtis Jones, Jr. back the plan. The proposal calls for a complete building renovation, adding a new elevator tower and welcome annex, creating 15 on-site parking spaces and restoring a …
40.020568
-75.209996
Northern Home for Children
5301 Ridge Ave, Philadelphia, PA
/articles/zoning-hiccup-delays-northern-children-s-services-expansion
1264362
/locations/8028866
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Rental units will be intended use, property owner says.
One Shawmont Avenue resident proposes building four twin homes at his property, with the intent of renting them, he said. Ralph Sposato, owner at 16 Shawmont Ave., presented plans to the Residents of Shawmont Valley Civic Association Oct. 11 to add four twin houses on his 5.5 acres. Located at the Shawmont-Umbria streets Y-intersection, the plan would develop previously uninhabited land. According to Sposato, he could legally build four, separate, single-family homes, but needs zoning variance to build the twins. For the most part, the civic association consented with his plan. Sposato intends on continuing to live there and won't sell the subdivided property. He'll rent and serve as landlord. Before he presents to the Philadelphia Zoning …
40.04642
-75.24824
16 Shawmont Ave, Philadelphia, PA
/articles/4-twin-homes-proposed-for-shawmont-ave
/locations/8017885
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Renovated buildings and addition planned for Ridge Avenue facility.
With historically sensitive aspects included in the plan, Northern Children's Service earned neighborhood approval to renovate and expand a building at its Ridge Avenue campus. The Wissahickon Interested Citizens Association agreed Wednesday to the human service organization's proposal to renovate the Merrick Building, allowing the group to expand its mother-baby program. "To me, there's no down side to this. The renovation, at worst, does nothing to the neighborhood, and I'm sure it will improve the area," WICA Vice President Chip Roller said. Architects for Northern Children's Services, formerly the Northern Home for Children, detailed the expansion at the group's September meeting, where it received preliminary support. On Wednesday, …
40.020568
-75.209996
Northern Home for Children
5301 Ridge Ave, Philadelphia, PA
/articles/wica-backs-expansion-at-northern-children-s-services
1264362
/locations/8000700
Pete
12:12 pm on Saturday, December 8, 2012
We almost bought that house in 2001. But it needed too much work, and all the original features of the house had already been ruined. The fireplace was removed, as in nothing there at all. The new flooring was poorly done, some structural stuff too. We would have fixed it up for sure. We stopped by a month later just out of curiosity, and they were having a Christmas party. There were wreathes on… more ›