Pattye Benson

Community Matters

redevelopment

Tredyffrin Township’s Planning Commission agenda – townhouses, apartments, hotel and assisted living projects, Oh My!

April 18, 2018
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What’s on Tredyffrin Township’s Planning Commission Agenda this week … Mt. Pleasant and Devon townhouses, multi-story apartments in Paoli, single family homes in Berwyn plus a new hotel and another assisted living project. (Planning Commission meeting, Thursday, April 19, 7 PM, Township Building, click here for agenda).

Although we have had a long cold winter with spring taking its time to arrive that hasn’t slowed construction plans in Tredyffrin. Developers have flocked to the township with their assisted living and townhouse, apartment and condominium plans.

Reviewing the Planning Commission agenda, there is quite an assortment of proposed land development projects – some plans returning for further review and others new to the township. A few highlights from the agenda include:

  • The Berkley Road Development project “Peyton’s Crossing” in Devon previously received approval to demolish a historic twin house on Berkley Road and build 6 townhouses – now they are back asking to amend the plan for 8 townhouses. (For the record, the demolished house dated to 1900. Remember Tredyffrin Township has no historic preservation ordinance of protection.)
  • The Linden Lane Capital Partners “Station Square” redevelopment plan adjacent to the Paoli train station, which demolishes 4 existing 2-story office buildings to make way for a new 4-story apartment building, is back in front of the Planning Commissioners for preliminary/final land development approval. The proposed $40 million project includes 153 apartments and first floor office space, interior courtyard and swimming pool.

    Proposed Linden Lane architectural rendering

The proposed Linden Lane – Station Square project has garnered much concern from neighbors, including the increase in traffic plus lighting and adequate landscaping buffering.

  • First time in front of the Planning Commissioners is a proposed townhouse community in Mt. Pleasant – “959 Radnor Road, 969 Radnor Road, 979 Radnor Road”, and 959 Fairview Avenue”. The plan calls for consolidating 4 properties into 2 lots and then constructing townhouses on each lot.

This is Mt. Pleasant, a community on the brink of losing its identity and place in our local history. In the last few years, absentee landlords have purchased and filled houses with college students, forcing neighbors to act as ‘dorm parents’ with late-night parties, increased traffic, etc. Residents have watched as small homes have been demolished with Mcmansions in their place and price tags that many in Mt. Pleasant cannot afford. Or, the vacant lots where developers purchased and demolished homes, only to later abandon their plans.

The proposed townhouses will demolish 1920’s Mt. Pleasant houses

Wanting to understand the new townhouse plan proposed for Mt. Pleasant, I walked its streets this past Saturday with resident Christine Johnson, a long-standing supporter and leading voice in her community.

From a historic standpoint, at least a couple of the houses slated for demolition are from the 1920’s, which of course saddens me. Four houses will be demolished to make way for 12 townhouses – and with price tags that most of the neighbors cannot afford. This type of high-end development continues to erode the Mt. Pleasant – a place where everyone knows your name!

The bigger question for the residents of Tredyffrin Township is how many townhouses do we need (or want)? Is the destruction of our communities worth it?

Returning to the Planning Commissioners is the Valley Forge Motor Court Motel development project and Nolen Properties assisted living project at the Aquilante Catering site on Cassatt Ave.

  • The current one-story Valley Forge Motor Court Motel is squeezed in between Route 202 and West Anthony Wayne Drive. The applicant is seeking to demolish the motel and build a multi-story Sleep Inn Hotel in its place. This proposed land development project was first in front of the Planning Commissioners last June. The applicant subsequently sought and received a Special Exception from the Zoning Hearing Board authorizing “hotel” use. I attended the first presentation of the proposed hotel and I recall that there were many in the community voices with objections to the plan — concerns for lighting, traffic and the multi-story size and scope of the proposed hotel.

In Pennsylvania, the PA Historical and Museum Commission uses the fifty-year standard to qualify historic properties. For the record, the Valley Forge Motor Court Motel qualifies as “historic” but remember, Tredyffrin Township does not have a historic preservation protection ordinance.

  • 950 Cassatt Partners/Nolen Development Group is back with a “Petition for Zoning Ordinance Text & Map Amendment”. They are seeking to revise the O (Office) zoning district to permit “Residential Care Facilities” and to re-zone the property to the O (Office).

This proposed assisted living project is on the site of the Aquilantes catering business on Cassatt Road in Berwyn and requires a zoning amendment. Although the developer has scaled back his plans to 190 units, this is still twice the current allowance for the intended use. The current zoning laws allow for 10 beds per acre but the proposal is closer to 20 acres per acre. The high density housing is not compatible with the surrounding residential area.

The proposed assisted living project requires the demolition of this 19th c. building.

The proposed text amendments to the density and impervious surface requirements allow a greater number of units and therefore a greater number of residents on this property as compared to a currently compliant facility.

The applicant hopes to gain recommendation from the Planning Commissioners to the Board of Supervisors for a zoning text amendment to create new density allowances for “transitional areas”.

When is enough, enough with the assisted living and the townhouses? I really am not opposed to development — thoughtful development, not development that impacts communities, overcrowds the school district, increase traffic and destroys historic structures!

Show me some redevelopment plans for the many empty office buildings and box stores and these projects would have my complete support!

Hope to see many residents at the Planning Commission meeting tomorrow at 7 PM, Township Building. Your voice matters and the Planning Commissioners listen!

Trading in four 19th century houses in Paoli for a new multi-story apartment building … is this progress?

February 21, 2017
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If a developer in Tredyffrin has his way, we are going to lose four historic houses in Paoli to make way for a multi-story apartment building!

Developer Lancaster Chestnut LLP presented a preliminary land development plan LD-03-2016 “Chestnut Road Apartments” at the Planning Commission. The application seeks to consolidate four parcels into one parcel for the development of a multi-story, 17 unit apartment building with 1 and 2-bedroom units.

The site for the proposed apartment building is Chestnut Road, south of Lancaster Avenue and is located within Paoli’s TCD (Town Center) district. Demolishing four 19th century homes to ‘make way’ for a new apartment building was not volunteered by the developer – but rather as response to a Planning Commissioner question regarding the age of the buildings.

I visited Chestnut Road to see where see the location of this proposed apartment building. Assuming the land development plan moves forward, the four historic houses slated for demolition are 35, 37, 39 and 43 Chestnut Road. Driving past these four houses on Chestnut Road, there are three additional houses which are restored and occupied.

Sadly, these are the four “Seven Sisters” houses on Chestnut Road slated for demolition to make way for a multi-story apartment building.

Dating to 1895, these three “sisters” houses are restored and occupied. With the Chestnut Road Apartment plan, these 19th century buildings will lose their four “sisters” and live in the shadows of a 21st century multi-story apartment building.

Close-up of Colonial Revival cottage, c.1895 house on Chestnut Road that will come down for the proposed new apartment building.

The four houses to be demolished are individually included in the 2003 Tredyffrin Township Historic Resource Survey book. For the township’s survey, the houses were surveyed and photographed. The historic consultant described their architectural style as “gable-end Colonial Revival cottage” and dated the properties to 1895.

Through local history, the neighborhood of the seven 19th century homes on the east side of Chestnut Road was known as Paoli’s “Seven Sisters”. Now one hundred and twenty-two years later and four of the ‘sisters’ are on the brink of demolition. Single family homes of the 19th century to be replaced by 21st century multi-family apartment building. Destruction of local history in the name of progress …?

Although the four 19th century homes are included in the township’s historic resource book, the identification is meaningless as Tredyffrin remains a municipality without a historic preservation ordinance of protection. Without historic protection and the property’s inclusion in the Town Center zoning district, the proposed apartments are a permitted use. Chestnut Road Apartments will join the other new apartment plan in Paoli – Station Square on the corner of N. Valley and West Central.

The proposed Howellville Road townhouse plan returned to the Planning Commission. No Tredyffrin resident spoke in favor of the project and several in the audience voiced opposition. TE School District board member Michele Burger raised concern about the multiple new townhouse projects in Tredyffrin and Easttown and the resulting increase in student enrollment. Neighbors spoke about the existing traffic issues on Howellville Road and the negative impact of this proposed townhouse on the community. Others, including myself, spoke of the historic significance of the village (and the old winding country road) and the changes the project will mean to the character of the area.

The developer John Benson of Benson Company presented new plans that reduced the number of townhomes from 20 to 18 with a one-way horseshoe entrance and exit in addition to an interior alley. Township engineer Steve Burgo voiced storm water concerns (Crabby Creek runs through the property). These proposed townhouses should not be marketed as a downsizing option – we were told each unit is 3,000 sq. ft.!

Visibly annoyed by the many questions and comments, the developer did not feel he had adequate direction on his proposed plan. If I had my way, the project would just disappear but that is unlikely as Mr. Benson made certain that we all know that his townhouse plan is a ‘by right’ use that he intends to pursue. However, there are required changes to his plan if it is to move forward. He certainly left the meeting with a lot to think about update if his plan was to move to the next step.

Because our township zoning allows by-right density housing in many areas of the township, the developers will continue to bring their plans. C-1 (commercial) zoning now includes a townhouses as a by-right use, so what is to keep developers from demolishing office buildings and building more townhouses? Townhouses could be an economic boom for developers to redevelop vacant and/or aging office buildings.

Beyond the destruction of local history in the name of progress, there are other concerns about multi-family development projects – rising student population in local schools, additional strain on our fire, EMS and police departments, increased traffic, etc.

Please do not misunderstand; I support economic redevelopment if thoughtful and well-planned.

Official ground breaking & ribbon-cutting for Chesterbrook … “rebirth of a broken shopping center” Public Invited!

July 24, 2015
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If you live in Chesterbrook or have driven on Chesterbrook Boulevard by the Chesterbrook Shopping Center during the last several months, you will have seen obvious signs of the long awaited redevelopment project which includes both razing and resurrection.

The center’s mixed-use development plan uses Tredyffrin’s newly created Town Center District for the 13-acre site with 123 new residential town homes, ‘Parkview at Chesterbrook’ and 30,000+ sq. ft. of commercial space (utilizing the front row of the existing building).

The public is invited to attend the official ground breaking and ribbon-cutting of the “rebirth of a broken shopping center” on Tuesday, July 28 at 11 AM. Invitation below —

Chesterbrook ribbon cutting invitation

Fantastic News!! PA State Senator Andy Dinniman Announces $14.5 Million Award to Paoli Transportation Project!

November 25, 2013
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I just received the following press release from State Senator Andy Dinniman’s office — what wonderful, unbelievable news!!

Dinniman Announces $14.5 Million for Paoli Transportation Center Project

WEST CHESTER (November 25) – State Senator Andrew Dinniman today announced that $14.5 million in funding has been awarded toward the Paoli Transportation Project.

“This announcement represents my determination to take one the most significant steps forward in the 30-year history of the Paoli Regional Transportation Center,” said Dinniman. “Paoli and the Great Valley Corporate Center have long served as an economic engine for Chester County. The proposed transportation center and train station at Paoli will ensure that our regional infrastructure continues to provide incentives for entrepreneurs from local small-business owners to international corporations, to call Chester County home.”

Funding for the Paoli Intermodal Transportation Center is a vital component of the proposal to relocate and expand the current station to a new site near the existing facility. Specifically, state funding will be directed toward roadway realignment and widening to accommodate the new and expanded regional transportation center. The proposed modern transportation hub in Paoli will improve access for buses, shuttles, and taxis; significantly increase commuter parking to meet both current demand and provide for future ridership; and improve vehicular traffic and reduce congestion for surrounding roadways.

“In light of recent transportation funding legislation in Harrisburg, I worked to ensure Chester County benefited directly from this funding package,” Dinniman continued. “Despite the efforts by some local officials in the House of Representatives to block this vital funding, I am pleased to announce that significant support will be directed for improvement projects such as the Paoli Regional Transportation Center.”

In addition to securing funding for the Paoli Transportation Center, Dinniman announced that more than $123 million in transportation funding will be directed to improvement projects throughout his current legislative district. These projects include $36 million for the repair and replacement of bridges, $17 million for regional roadway and pedestrian-use safety improvements, almost $69 million for roadway repaving, expansion improvement, and other traffic congestion mitigation project throughout Chester County.

“The key to the continuation and growth of our regional economy is directly linked to the strength of our infrastructure,” said Dinniman, noting the 76,000 new jobs estimated to come to Chester County between now and 2040. “With this in mind, I will continue to fight for support of Chester County and will work to ensure that important projects, such as the Paoli Transportation Center, are fully funded and completed.”

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