A new Montgomery County Planning Commission review of the revised Melrose redevelopment plan — a roughly 115-acre, mixed-use project on the former Melrose Country Club site in Cheltenham Township — found the developer has added about 33 more homes since 2024, now totaling roughly 443 residences (351 townhomes, including some age-restricted, plus 12 twins, 80 assisted living apartments and 30 traumatic brain injury care units), while eliminating the previously planned small apartment building. County planners criticized the change because it reduced housing variety. Planners also noted that a scaled-back retail component undercuts Cheltenham's commercial tax-base goals. The plan also includes two retail spaces, walking trails linking to the Tookany Creek trail network, and three controversial public pools costing up to $4.5 million that would replace the existing Conklin Pool, a project already facing a lawsuit and resident criticism over transparency, pace and bidding procedures. County reviewers additionally flagged potential parking shortfalls at the pools, recommended a parking analysis based on Conklin Pool usage, called for more shade trees around the largely paved pool area, and urged revisions to the stormwater plan behind some townhouses.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 8/22/2026