A four-story, 18-unit apartment building is being proposed for the empty lot at 4820 Chester Avenue and residents are invited to a community zoning meeting on Tuesday, May 7, to learn more about the proposal.
The meeting is organized by Southwest Philadelphia District Services, the registered community organization (RCO) designated by the city for the variance request. The meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m. at Kingsessing Recreation Center (4901 Kingsessing Ave.)
The 4,050-square-foot parcel is currently zoned RTA-1, which accommodates two-family, semi-detached structures.
May 6th, 2019 at 7:13 pm
My 9 year old could make a better drawing than that.
May 7th, 2019 at 6:11 am
I can’t come to this meeting tonight, but like most residence, I think that this building is an abomination. I’m not in favor of granting a zoning variance.
In addition, given the cost of construction using cinder blocks and (say) a brick face stucco, it’s possible to make a building that is aesthetically matches the neighborhood and still be very profitable.
Is there some way to have my voice heard even if I can’t go to the meeting?
May 7th, 2019 at 9:53 am
Along the same lines, a style closer to the 46&Spruce is preferable to the ugly fortresses on 45-46&Walnut…
May 7th, 2019 at 9:25 pm
The developers now propose a twelve unit building (with bike parking), which I think is appropriate density at this site. This intersection has the most public transit access in the neighborhood, with the entrance to the 49th Street station for the Media/Elwyn line across the street, the Rt. 13 trolley, and the 64 bus, which literally goes from Fairmount Park to Pier 70 on Columbus Boulevard. Anything less would be a waste of a prime site for transit-oriented development, and the people at tonight’s meeting didn’t seem to get that. I, also, think there should be a retail space at this prime site across from the entrance to the train station. The vote tonight was only for the earlier plan for 18 units, not the new plan, and I and many other people chose not to vote for that reason. Everyone who did vote tonight voted “no”, as they were voting on another plan designed by another architect.
May 9th, 2019 at 10:56 am
It’s accessible to transit, but main route will be the 13 trolley. Not so many folks will use the north/south bus route, and the Media/Elwyn line is once an hour I think and does not have free connections to the El or BSL. So it’s more of a stop on the 13 line than anything else.
For what it’s worth I think the ‘prime sites’ in terms of transit are the 40th St portal, and along Market St. I cannot figure out why there is no high density/commercial at the 46th St El stop. Maybe someone knows the story behind this …?