2101 Washington Ave -- Zoning Meeting

[ahbinpa]

Thought this zoning meeting agenda item deserved its own thread. Note that this is the old Frankford Chocolate Factory which takes up pretty much the entire block from 21st to 22nd on Washington and goes through to Kimball. This is for information and feedback only - they do not have a zoning hearing scheduled although I believe they do have refusals. Plans currently call for commercial/residential mixed use and include parking. This is a project that will likely have significant impact on the community for decades so please come provide your ideas and feedback!

And please pass this info on to your friends and neighbors who may live near any of the proposed projects listed below.

-----------------------------
The March Meeting of the SOSNA Zoning Committee will take place on

DATE: Wednesday, March 17, 2010
TIME: 7-9 PM
PLACE: NEW LOCATION: Shiloh Baptist Church Community Room, 2040 Christian Street (at the corner of 21st and Christian Streets)

TENTATIVE AGENDA:

2nd PRESENTATION: 1631-37 Fitzwater Street: Application for the construction of four single-family homes. Revised plans remove front-loading garages, and have rear-access parking via Chadwick Street.

2nd PRESENTATION: 2231-33 Carpenter Street: Application for the erection of a three-family dwelling. Revised plans showing mansard roof, and larger rear yard area.

1732 Kater Street: Application for the erection of a single-family home on an oddly shaped lot, with small rear yard.

1412 Christian Street: Application for the erection of a single-family home requesting a front-loading garage.

1623 Carpenter Street: Application for the erection of a three-family dwelling, with decks off the back of the 2nd and 3rd floors, but no off-street parking provided.

2514-2524 Grays Ferry Avenue: Application for the erection of six single-family homes, four of which have front-loading garages.

INFORMATIONAL PRESENTATION: 2101 Washington Avenue: Presentation by applicants for this large property seeking input from neighbors on potential uses.

[Derf]

Is there any info on what some of the proposals are for this property?

[Jenn1026]

Is there any info on what some of the proposals are for this property?

A really high level description: it is a combination of apartments on the second/third floors (25ish apartments), a large food court (21st street side) and multiple retail spaces (22nd street side) on the first. The two buildings that are there today are propsed retail pad sites - they would be knocked down in initial construction. The 22nd and 21st street sides would both have loading bays, and the "trash" area would be right at the corner of 22nd and Kimball. There is above ground parking in the front and parking below proposed.

My husband and I are the last house on 22nd facing this property. We have a few concerns about the loading bay and trash area proposed for the 21st and 22nd street sides, as well as the number of retail spaces currently proposed. The retail footprint for this building is large. It is going to be my request that loading be done in the front during designated hours, similar to Phat Mot's property. 22nd and 20th are the only north routes into Center City...with 20th street getting the PHA property for the elderly and inferm, and 22nd possible 18 wheelers, traffic and emergency routes into the city could be a problem. I am also of the opinion that due to the size of the building, there is no reason that they cannot do it all from their front instead of driving 18 wheelers down 22nd and 21st.

Overall, I am pleased that he is approaching the community for input and support retail and apartments there. From what I have seen, his initial design is not bad looking. I am hoping that as a continued gesture of good will to the community that he will pick up the profound amount of garbage that has collected on the front and side of his building and will regularly scheule cleaning around his property to better maintain it.

Kudos to him for reaching out to the community. Let's see how it goes!

Regards,
Jenn L

[Derf]

Jenn, thanks for the detailed info. I ask because I currently rent on 19th and Montrose. I love living in the the area and plan on buying within the next year. I looked at a home on 20th an Kimball that I really liked today an I was wondering what was up this this development.

[Lolly]

The two buildings that are there today are propsed retail pad sites - they would be knocked down in initial construction.

Oh that's kinda sad. I'm excited about the overall concept too but haven't seen any proposed plans yet. Is the whole thing going to be new construction? I was hoping they'd preserve some of the original structure. I really like that funky old thing - especially the smoke stack.

[Jenn1026]

Oh that's kinda sad. I'm excited about the overall concept too but haven't seen any proposed plans yet. Is the whole thing going to be new construction? I was hoping they'd preserve some of the original structure. I really like that funky old thing - especially the smoke stack.

According to what I have seen, it looks like a lot of the building will be maintained. If you stand in front of it today, there is an addition on the 21st side, and a little building with the cell phone towers on the 22nd, these are the two that seem to be slated for removal.

I LOVE the smoke stack. Actual windows instead of bricked in windows will be a delight on that building, it's a pretty building and I'm thrilled that something is going to be done with it.

[seand]

Is it the same guy with his giant picture on the building or is it someone with a slightly less grandiose vision?

[Derf]

If done right, this could be great for our neighborhood. An anchor of development along the southern end is really needed. I hope this is a quality project an not another along the lines of a super market with fenced in razor wire.

[ahbinpa]

Is it the same guy with his giant picture on the building or is it someone with a slightly less grandiose vision?

Same guy, but I think he might have cleaned off his glasses

[lbphilly]

Same guy, but I think he might have cleaned off his glasses

That would be this guy?

[ahbinpa]

That would be this guy?

Yup. The very one. And just look how fresh and unfaded he was looking back then!

[Lolly]

According to what I have seen, it looks like a lot of the building will be maintained. If you stand in front of it today, there is an addition on the 21st side, and a little building with the cell phone towers on the 22nd, these are the two that seem to be slated for removal.

I LOVE the smoke stack. Actual windows instead of bricked in windows will be a delight on that building, it's a pretty building and I'm thrilled that something is going to be done with it.

[Jenn1026]

I will say, although I'm THRILLED that something is being done with it, I'll be strongly advocating for those of us along 21st, Kimball, and 22nd to not have his trash area and truck bays situated along our homes when there is ample space for it to be handled from the front (which would also give them incentive to keep it clean). Compounding this...

If you look at the aggregate of development on this end of the neighborhood...and the impact to the traffic/emergency routes... We have the PHA property on 20th with probable para-transit loading, an 18 wheeler bay on 22nd and 21st, and Phat Mot's property on 23rd/24th. With the proposed development, navigating north-bound off of Washington will be challenging.

But again, I'm in support of the building be developed and I'm excited that he's coming to the table to work with us. I'll be curious to hear how they plan to address some of the issues with his property in NY and how he will continue to work with the community on an ongoing basis.

[Lolly]

I'll be curious to hear how they plan to address some of the issues with his property in NY

Oh that's right I forgot I heard this a while back, something about a NY property. Can you remind us, what those issues are?

[devilspocket]

Empire of Hotels Riddled with Crime and Drugs - 1994

In Largest Drug-Law Takeover, U.S. Seizes New York City Hotel - 1994

Hotel Lafayette, Buffalo - 3/2010

All I know is what I've read online - The 1994 stories were a long time ago, but he seems to have a history of buying hotels and running them as dilapidated sro's. I'm curious to see the development plans for this property.

[Lolly]

Empire of Hotels Riddled with Crime and Drugs - 1994

In Largest Drug-Law Takeover, U.S. Seizes New York City Hotel - 1994

Hotel Lafayette, Buffalo - 3/2010

All I know is what I've read online - The 1994 stories were a long time ago, but he seems to have a history of buying hotels and running them as dilapidated sro's. I'm curious to see the development plans for this property.

Ewww.

And on further investigation, at least one of his NYC hotels (assuming it still belongs to him) was a mess as late as 2009...

"Times Square's Hotel Carter tops list of dirtiest hotels in America
Borough News - NY Daily News — February 23, 2009
The Hotel Carter was named the dirtiest hotel in America Tuesday by TripAdvisor.com, marking the third time in four years that the W. 43rd St. dump has topped the list."

And it gets worse...
Hotel Carter in Theater District - Times Square, Manhattan, New York, NY | Outside.in local place news

Oy vey.

Wonder what the chances are this guy is partnering on this project with someone with a better rep??? We can hope, right?

[Derf]

It would be interesting to cite these articles at the feedback meeting and convey that the community will not accept this kind of development.

[ahbinpa]

And then there's this one...

U.S. v. Amsterdam Hospitality LLC: U.S. v. 49th Street Realty Corp.; U.S. v. Alphonse Hotel Corp.: On January 13, 2009, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York filed lawsuits in the U.S. District Court in Manhattan against the owners and operators of five hotels in New York's Theater District. All of the hotels presented significant barriers to accessibility and did not respond to the Department’s efforts to negotiate a settlement agreement with them. The hotels include:
* Hotel Carter
* Ameritania
* Amsterdam Court
* Radio City Suites
* Moderne

These lawsuits are the result of a hotel compliance initiative being conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan. Under the initiative, forty-eight hotels in Manhattan’s Theater District were reviewed to assess their compliance with the requirements of Title III, with the goal of removing barriers and improving access for guests with disabilities.

[ahbinpa]

And this Wikipedia entry for what it's worth.

Tran Dinh Truong - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If you click on the link for Hotel Carter, it's been named dirtiest hotel in America for 4 years running.

[Lolly]

It would be interesting to cite these articles at the feedback meeting and convey that the community will not accept this kind of development.

They were. And I was heartened to hear that the developers (apparently grandchildren of Mr. Truong) acknowledge these issues and aim to prove that they plan to move behind them as representatives of the "next generation" of their family's legacy.

In any event, I think last night's meeting was very positive and the best news is that these folks seem to be doing a good job of listening to the community as they move forward with their plans.