Chestnut Hill under siege YET AGAIN!

**borntochill** · 08-27-2012, 11:14 PM

First it was an upscale gourmet prepared food establishment selling balsamic-infused Israeli couscous salads and fair trade French Roast coffee to go. Thank goodness vigilant Chestnut Hill neighbors rallied to shut this menace down. Then there was the horror of a dialysis center. Residents gathered up their torches but, unfortunately, were unable to keep physicians and kidney patients at bay. Thank goodness, though, that a water ice establishment that might have spelled the end of civilization as we know it was stopped before it could destroy Germantown Avenue. That was a very close call.

Still, Chestnut Hill residents must never let their guard down. Just when you thought it was safe to head over to Kilian's to pick up a can of matte finish Aegean Mist interior paint, the most evil of all entities was fiendishly planning it's arrival nearby:

Some neighbors fear frozen yogurt shop 'Chill on the Hill' will be crime magnet

**Malloy** · 08-28-2012, 12:14 AM

Man, this is classic.

**mixiboi** · 08-28-2012, 02:11 AM

Wait...I can't, I just can't....Frozen Yogurt=CRIME!

**NCtransplant** · 08-28-2012, 07:04 AM

Originally Posted by mixiboi

Wait...I can't, I just can't....Frozen Yogurt=CRIME!

Expand the equation: Frozen Yogurt + teenagers = crime
OK, THAT makes sense

Yes, indeed, it's a world gone mad. My daughter works in one of these Frozen Yogurt places and oh, the stories she tells: customers asking for unspeakable combinations of toppings, drippings on the floor, people of lower social status (ech!) who don't understand the self-serve concept, TEENAGERS who are bad tippers, people who don't believe in composting(!). She was going to tell me more but I begged her to stop.

Seriously, why does every new idea in CH have to be fought like this (the OP didn't mention the mural, ? Unless the idea is to keep a version of the area frozen in time, a concept that may seem quaint but is ultimately destructive, there's going to be a huge amount of wasted energy spent on resisting inevitable (and in this case, what would seem to be welcome) change.

**NickFromGtown** · 08-28-2012, 09:10 AM

This story seems to be sensationalized a bit. After reading the headline, you'd think that this place was going to turn the area into Broad and Erie. After reading what the neighbors said, they have reasonable concerns.

I do think that there is virtue in wishing that business stays on Germantown Ave, but for different reasons. There seem to be a lot of vacancies on the Avenue. If business is not located on the Avenue, the area might look weaker than it really is and not attract more business.

**BarryG** · 08-28-2012, 09:13 AM

Originally Posted by NickFromGtown

This story seems to be sensationalized a bit. After reading the headline, you'd think that this place was going to turn the area into Broad and Erie. After reading what the neighbors said, they have reasonable concerns.

I do think that there is virtue in wishing that business stays on Germantown Ave, but for different reasons. There seem to be a lot of vacancies on the Avenue. If business is not located on the Avenue, the area might look weaker than it really is and not attract more business.

Given that another frozen treat business located on Germantown Ave was also vehemently opposed I don't think that is their real concern.

**Mt. Airy Brewer** · 08-28-2012, 09:17 AM

Bredenbeck's has the same hours, but ice cream must be less of a gateway drug than frozen yogurt.

**billy ross** · 08-28-2012, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by NickFromGtown

This story seems to be sensationalized a bit. After reading the headline, you'd think that this place was going to turn the area into Broad and Erie. After reading what the neighbors said, they have reasonable concerns.

I do think that there is virtue in wishing that business stays on Germantown Ave, but for different reasons. There seem to be a lot of vacancies on the Avenue. If business is not located on the Avenue, the area might look weaker than it really is and not attract more business.

Walkability is enhanced when commercial is distributed around a neighborhood, not when it's concentrated in a very small portion of it that everyone drives to. The fact that Germantown Avenue runs up the spine of CH helps in this regard, but spreading things out a hair more isn't a bad thing, imo. Germantown could certainly benefit from this kind of thing, in very many ways.

**Politburo** · 08-28-2012, 10:20 AM

Originally Posted by NickFromGtown

After reading what the neighbors said, they have reasonable concerns.

Cmon, it's 5 E. Highland. One (big) building off the ave... not like it's buried back in the neighborhood somewhere. And the lady who is concerned about an "escape avenue for crime" uses a crime that occurred on the avenue as her example of people using Ardleigh as an 'escape route'. So moving this place to the avenue would do what exactly?

It would seem like having an active business next to the parking lot in question would help matters, since you'd have some more eyes in the area. However, it also seems like that is not relevant (assuming the lot is not part of this building, which I don't think it is).

You move a block from the main commercial strip in the area and then complain about people being in the area.. ridiculous.

**ArcticSplash** · 08-28-2012, 10:51 AM

The money is in the banana stand.

**ArcticSplash** · 08-28-2012, 11:05 AM

Ice Cream Crime - Philadelinquency

**iheartphilly** · 08-28-2012, 11:14 AM

[QUOTE=borntochill;527206]First it was an upscale gourmet prepared food establishment selling balsamic-infused Israeli couscous salads and fair trade French Roast coffee to go. Thank goodness vigilant Chestnut Hill neighbors rallied to shut this menace down. Then there was the horror of a dialysis center. Residents gathered up their torches but, unfortunately, were unable to keep physicians and kidney patients at bay.

You & your neighbors oppose a dialysis center? Why, because you don't think the sick belong in your elitist hood?

**annie** · 08-28-2012, 11:23 AM

Originally Posted by ArcticSplash

Ice Cream Crime - Philadelinquency

Hey, forget Kingsessing, we're still trying to get ice cream in Cedar Park!

**Malloy** · 08-28-2012, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by ArcticSplash

Ice Cream Crime - Philadelinquency

No link to PS? Hrm

**ArcticSplash** · 08-28-2012, 12:14 PM

Originally Posted by Malloy

No link to PS? Hrm

You need some GoogleJuice?

**jen** · 08-28-2012, 12:53 PM

bring the frogurt down to mt. airy!

but not within 750 feet of the trolley car.

or, just to be safe, within 750 feet of any other property/business ken weinstein owns.

http://www.philadelphiaspeaks.com/fo...s-opening.html

**borntochill** · 08-28-2012, 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by jen

bring the frogurt down to mt. airy!

but not within 750 feet of the trolley car.

or, just to be safe, within 750 feet of any other property/business ken weinstein owns.

http://www.philadelphiaspeaks.com/fo...s-opening.html

Right.

By the way, at the risk of hijacking my own thread, for those who think that $18.14 is too much to pay for a 2-egg breakfast...

...there's a new 24/7 diner that has opened just a 7 minute drive from Trolley Car that's a great alternative.

Andy’s Diner has just opened nearby in Cheltenham at Cedarbrook Plaza. Think New Jersey style Greek mega-diner with a very large menu. The joint is brand spanking new and it’s ginormous. Trolley Car could fit inside of it several times over. The prices are very inexpensive and the food is very comparable in quality to Trolley Car’s although at Andy’s you’ll be seated quickly in new, immaculate booths, you’ll get friendly, attentive service, and your checks will be half the price.

They have a $1.99 weekday breakfast special : 2 eggs any style, home fries and toast (it’s $2.95 on weekends). There are 10 different breakfast specials offered daily.

They also have an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet: $10.95 for adults; $5.95 for kids under 10; and it is free for children 3 years old or under. The buffet includes a made-to-order omelet station, waffles, pancakes, French toast, bacon, sausage, scrapple, danish, bagels, biscuits, fresh fruit, coffee and your choice of a cold beverage.

I ate there a couple weeks ago. The place is clean. Portions were huge. I saw that they had accommodated a group of maybe 40 people that they seated together at a long table and they had room to accommodate plenty more.

Mount Airy Breakfast and Lunch (thanks Toxigal) and, now, Andy’s are my go-to area diners. Mt Airy Breakfast and Lunch has limited hours and is closed Sundays so this place is a great addition whenever you want a decent diner breakfast nearby at a great price or you want a place that can accommodate your large group. In addition to low prices, they give 10% off checks $25 or more. They also have senior discounts and early-bird specials.

Andy's Diner & Pub - Cheltenham

Menu: Andy's Diner & Pub (menu prices and options look the same at Cheltenham location)

**billy ross** · 08-28-2012, 02:31 PM

Now that the hijacking has occurred, I took my son to Bob's Diner for the first time and he was in heaven. He still raves about the place.

**toxigal** · 08-28-2012, 02:38 PM

Originally Posted by borntochill

Right.

Mount Airy Breakfast and Lunch (thanks Toxigal) and, now, Andy’s are my go-to area diners. Mt Airy Breakfast and Lunch has limited hours and is closed Sundays so this place is a great addition

update! Mt. Airy Breakfast and Lunch is now open Sundays. I've gone twice in the last month...waffle with walnuts and bananas one week and a veggie omelet the other. both delicious! and they are just nice people. i sit at the counter and the entire staff chats with you and with each other. it is great.