News Briefs for November 24, 2023
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A view of early construction (January 2022) at the new Montgomery County Justice Center in Norristown, shortly after work began in 2021. The $415-million project is being built in three phases and is expected to open in 2026. View updates and newer photos at the county website.
Photo: Michael Stokes (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 DEED)
FAQ: National Flood Insurance Program expires Feb. 2, 2024
The National Flood Insurance Program’s (NFIP) authority to provide flood insurance is currently set to expire on Feb. 2, 2024. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) is making every effort to secure a long-term reauthorization of the program. NAR has compiled a list of answers to frequently asked questions about what the potential expiration means for upcoming closings and several proactive steps people can take in the meantime. Congress is discussing a continuing resolution (CR) to extend funding for the federal government after Feb. 2. An NFIP extension is attached to the CR. In the meantime, NAR is urging the longest extension possible while Congress continues working toward a long-term reauthorization and reform measure.
Source: Nar.realtor; 11/16/2023
Input sought on upcoming statewide historic preservation plan
The Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office (PA SHPO) has begun outreach for Pennsylvania’s next official statewide historic preservation plan. The state’s current plan will expire at the end of 2024. The National Historic Preservation Act requires state historic preservation offices to develop and maintain statewide plans, which are intended to guide local, regional and statewide preservation efforts over a period of time. Public engagement is essential to the planning process and the first step in developing a responsive statewide plan. Pennsylvanians are invited to participate in PA SHPO's “Planning for Preservation in Pennsylvania, 2024–2034” survey online here.
Source: PA SHPO; 10/2023
Mall-owner PREIT has $1B in debt coming due
PREIT, a real estate firm that owns the Willow Grove Park Mall, Plymouth Meeting Mall, Exton Square Mall and the Cherry Hill Mall, among others, had a loss of almost $64 million in the third quarter, adding to its negative $1.1 billion balance, according to the Philadelphia Business Journal. PREIT has been negotiating a potential debt restructuring package with a lender group, but the Philadelphia-based company declined to share further details following the release of its quarterly earnings report. Since the start of 2023, PREIT has sold assets generating more than $30 million, including the Plymouth Meeting Whole Foods site for $27 million. The company has also explored selling the Plymouth Meeting and Exton Square malls to shore up cash, but that would make a small dent in the $1.1 billion debt that is due.
Source: Philadelphia Business Journal; 11/14/2023 & GlensideLocal.com; 11/16/2023
State Rep. Galloway to resign in December
Pennsylvania State Rep. John Galloway (D-140) is planning to resign from his legislative seat in mid-December. Galloway was elected to fill retiring District Judge Jan Vilosky’s seat. Galloway has served in the House since 2006. The open seat will trigger a special election in early 2024 for the legislative district that encompasses Falls Township, Tullytown Borough and a section of Middletown Township.
Source: LevittownNow.com; 11/18/2023
Springfield gives preliminary nod to 11-home project
Springfield Township supervisors have granted preliminary approval to a housing development on 17-acres off Richlandtown Pike. The 11 single-family homes would each have on-lot water and sewer systems. The project had to secure Department of Environmental Protection approval due to its location in the state-protected, exceptional-value Cooks Creek watershed. Prior to preliminary approval, the supervisors questioned the project designer on flooding and loss of woodland. The project designer said that a system would be in place to handle stormwater and agreed to plant additional trees to compensate for loss of woodlands on the property.
Source: Bucks County Herald; 11/16/2023
Taxes to increase in Durham
Durham Township supervisors announced a 2-mill tax increase as part of the proposed $635,775 budget for 2024. If the draft budget is finalized without change, it will be the first time in seven years the township has raised taxes. Supervisors Chair Bartley E. Millett said the tax increase will cost the average property owner an additional $77 in taxes next year. One mill is equal to $1 of tax for every $1,000 of assessed property value. The average property value assessment is $28,800. The budget will be posted on the Durham Township website and will also be available to review at the township office on Old Furnace Road.
Source: Bucks County Herald; 11/20/2023
Federal civil rights complaint filed against Pennridge School District
The Education Law Center-PA and the Advocacy for Racial and Civil Justice Clinic of the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School recently filed a federal civil rights complaint against the Pennridge School District on behalf of the Bucks County NAACP, the PairUP Society and several affected Bucks County families. The complaint alleges that several policies and practices in the school district discriminate against students of color and the LGBTQ+ student population. The policies and practices include a failure to address bullying of students of color and LGBTQ+ students, curriculum changes designed to eliminate discussion of racism and oppression from classrooms, removal of books that represent diverse experiences, and a discriminatory bathroom policy. The complaint asks for the district to directly address race- and sex-based harassment “to ensure that it does not recur” and to adopt policies that “affirmatively foster inclusion of marginalized students.” The school district did not respond to a request for comment from the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Bucks County Herald or Whyy.org. The district includes about 6,500 students from several towns in Upper Bucks County who attend 11 schools.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer, Bucks County Herald & Whyy.org; 11/15/2023
West Chester council considers building a skating park
West Chester Borough Council is exploring the possibility of establishing a skate park on the former Wyeth property, currently an asphalted area at the intersection of Bolmar and Nields streets. The proposal, initially introduced by Councilman Bernie Flynn, has garnered support from a majority of council members. The potential site for the skate park is owned by builder Eli Kahn, who intends to construct two warehouses on the adjacent 22-acre former Wyeth Property, historically known for mass-producing penicillin. Kahn's preliminary development plan raises concerns as it lacks provisions for green space and recreational areas if the warehouses are erected. To address this, the borough is contemplating imposing a "fee in lieu of use," estimated at around $440,000. In a counterproposal, Flynn suggests utilizing a portion of this fee to reclaim and repurpose the property from Kahn. Kahn, previously unaware of Flynn's plan, remains noncommittal about selling the land to the borough. Currently, he is actively searching for a tenant and envisions constructing the warehouses according to the tenant's specific requirements. The initial plans include designating the existing paved acreage for parking, catering to the needs of the larger of the two proposed warehouses.
Source: Daily Local; 11/18/2023
Oxford Regional Planning Committee releases survey to help identify priorities
East Nottingham Township, Elk Township, Lower Oxford Township, Oxford Borough, Upper Oxford Township and West Nottingham Township formed the Oxford Regional Planning Committee to consider and implement policies that can meet the objectives outlined in the 2012 Oxford Region Multimunicipal Plan. The committee will soon embark on an update of the plan. As part of that update, the group has released a public survey to help identify and prioritize topics. Take part in the survey here.
Source: Oxford Borough; 10/26/2023
Uwchlan Township budget now available for public input
Uwchlan Township’s proposed 2024 budget is now available for public input. A key proposal outlined in the proposed budget is an increased sewer fee. Under the draft budget, sewer fees would increase on Jan. 1, 2024, by $6 per quarter, from $99 to $105. The first payment at the new rate would be due on May 1. The fee increase is being proposed to help pay for rising capital costs at the Downingtown Area Regional Authority (DARA) and Eagleview treatment plants. The proposed township budget can be found here. Feedback may be submitted by residents until Friday, Dec. 15. Instructions for providing commentary can be found on the township’s finance page.
Source: Uwchlan Township; 11/14/2023
Upper Darby EIT proposal receives cold reception from public
A proposal calling for the enactment of an earned income tax (EIT) in Upper Darby Township is receiving a cold reception from local businesses and residents. The proposal, included in Mayor Barbarann Keffer’s 2024 budget, estimates an EIT could generate approximately $12 million in annual revenue for the township. An EIT is a tax on the money received as pay for work performed, such as wages, salaries, bonuses, commissions, tips and net earnings from self-employment. It can also include long-term disability, union strike benefits and, in some cases, payments from certain deferred retirement compensation arrangements. At a contentious budget hearing, Upper Darby officials heard from both residents and local business leaders who are opposed to the new tax. Business owners caution that the tax would have a negative impact on many workers in the township. "The goal of implementing the EIT is to diversify our tax revenues and not just rely on property taxes," Mayor Keffer said. The township council is set to vote on the EIT on Wednesday, Nov. 29. If passed, the new tax would take effect on Jan. 1.
Source: CBS 3; 11/17/2023
Chadds Ford considers new tax for fire services
Chadds Ford Township supervisors are considering a property tax increase as part of the 2024 proposed budget to boost funding for the Concordville Fire & Protective Association. The proposed hike, amounting to a 0.11-mill increase, is anticipated to yield around $102,300 for the fire company in the coming year — a $37,000 bump compared to the current year. If approved, the adjustment would result in an annual property tax increase of $55 for properties assessed at $500,000. Other millage rates in the proposal include 0.352 mills for the general fund, 0.0072 mills for the Rachel Kohl Library, 0.166 mills for open space, and 0.067 mills designated for fire hydrant zones. (A mill represents a tax of $1 for every $1,000 of assessed property value.) The overall projected property tax revenue from the proposed budget is $471,520, contributing to an estimated total revenue of just under $1.32 million — matching the anticipated total expenditures. The budget is slated for a vote during the regular meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 6.
Source: Chadds Ford Live; 11/16/2023
CHA gets $5 million grant to rehab 110 apartments at historic Bennett Homes
Chester Housing Authority (CHA), the city of Chester’s largest affordable housing provider, has announced it will refurbish 110 housing units in the Ruth L. Bennett Homes. The work is being made possible through a $5 million grant received from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency’s (PHFA) Housing Options Program. The Ruth L. Bennett Homes, constructed in the 1940s, consists of 261 units. As a result of limited resources, the development is not operating at full capacity and many units have become uninhabitable. “Eighty years of service to the community, exacerbated by more than two years of deferred maintenance due to the pandemic, has taken a toll,” said CHA executive director Steven A. Fischer. “These funds will address outdated kitchens and bathrooms, energy and water efficiency, mold and some structural issues.” Fischer said the grant will help the CHA address the shortage of affordable housing and spur economic growth in the city by creating jobs during the renovation. He said that the neighborhood, known locally as “The Bennett,” has been a strong contributor to the community over the past 15 years through the creation of a two-acre community farm to address food inequity and the addition of a professional childcare center. In addition, a learning center in the neighborhood has been home to Delaware County Community College and Rotary Club sponsored carpentry courses, as well as county services for women and infants.
Source: Chester Spirit; 11/15/2023
Montco proposes tax increase for 2024
Montgomery County commissioners recently proposed a $568 million budget for 2024 that includes a property tax increase. The draft budget calls for an increase in the real estate tax to 4.788 mills from the current 4.627 mills, which will raise taxes for the average home in the county by about $94 per year. The proposed tax increase would generate about $33.3 million more in real estate tax revenue. The budget also proposes the use of $2 million of the county’s existing fund balance for new debt service expenses. The budget proposal is available on the county website. The commissioners will hold two public hearings on the 2024 Proposed Budget and Capital Improvement Plan on Thursday, Nov. 30, at 10:30 a.m. and at 6 p.m. Public comments will be accepted by mail, email or at the meetings listed above. The commissioners will consider the budget for adoption at their regularly scheduled board meeting on Thursday, Dec. 14.
Source: Main Line Media News; 11/16/2023
Montco school officials underscore urgent need for additional school funding
Local school officials underscored the urgent need for additional school funding in Montgomery County Thursday afternoon at a public hearing on the state of education in Pennsylvania. The hearing was part of a statewide tour by the Pennsylvania House Appropriations and Education Committees to discuss education funding following the recent Commonwealth Court ruling declaring Pennsylvania’s public education funding system unconstitutional. As a result of the current funding system, Pennsylvania has the largest funding gap between wealthy and poor school districts in the country. At the hearing, four local school officials testified to the dire funding situation in Montgomery County schools, unfair charter school funding, excessive testing mandates, staffing shortages, increasing numbers of disadvantaged students, and soaring costs of mental health and special education services. Read more here.
Source: Main Line Media News; 11/14/2023
CHOP purchases King of Prussia office building
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) recently purchased a 97,290-square-foot office building at 460 N. Gulph Road, across the street from its Middleman Family Pavilion and adjacent specialty care center. CHOP purchased the property for $24.5 million from UGI Corp., which recently moved its headquarters a half-mile west in King of Prussia. CHOP has had a presence in King Prussia since the 1990s, initially with two care sites near the King of Prussia Mall. CHOP's plans for the five-story building at 460 N. Gulph Road are unclear.
Source: Philadelphia Business Journal; 11/17/2023
East Greenville posts zoning board vacancy
East Greenville Borough is seeking an alternate member for the borough’s zoning hearing board. It is a three-year term that will run from January 2024 to December 2026. Check the borough website for more information.
Source: East Greenville Borough; 11/2023
A decade after it closed, Germantown High School is set to reopen next year as a mixed-use development
A historic school building in Germantown is slated to reopen by next summer — more than a decade after academic performance and shrinking enrollment closed the hulking property amid a financial crisis at the School District of Philadelphia. Developers are converting the former Germantown High School into a mixed-use development with approximately 240 apartments. The first 45 units are expected to be completed in the next 6 to 8 months. The entire project could wrap up as early as 2025. “Construction will be moving along at a pretty quick pace,” said architect David Polatnick during a packed community meeting. The news came nearly two years after Germantown Development, the property’s second new owner, began transforming the property on Germantown Avenue, a by-right project that has frustrated residents still heartbroken over the decision to close the neighborhood’s only public high school after 99 years in the community. Anthony Fullard, president of West Powelton Development, told the audience the project will have a mix of market-rate and affordable units, including ADA-compliant units for low-income residents with disabilities. He said the development team is working out some of those details with the help of Liberty Resources, a nonprofit that works with that population. For now, it’s unclear how many units will be affordable and how many will be market-rate. Fullard and his partners also haven’t settled on monthly rents for the project, a source of concern for some residents as the neighborhood continues to attract attention from developers. Read more here.
Source: PlanPhilly; 11/17/2023
Parkway calls off one project and rethinks another as high interest rates force developers to hit the brakes
When Parkway Corp. CEO Rob Zuritsky shared plans for a 31-story “top of the market” luxury apartment tower at 21st and Ludlow streets last October, he didn’t know when work would begin because of high construction costs and rising interest rates. Those economic challenges are still delaying projects a year later, and Zuritsky said Parkway is scaling back its plans for the Center City site with “a more modest approach." While Philadelphia's tallest residential tower, Southern Land Co.'s 48-story Laurel in Rittenhouse Square, debuted less than a year ago with condos for sale starting at $2.8 million, Zuritsky said undertaking any project approaching that scale just isn't feasible under the current conditions. “That was going to be a spectacular building, a world-class building,” he said of the original vision for Parkway's 21st and Ludlow project. “To go high-rise now like The Laurel is so expensive. It is incredibly expensive. Rents to justify that would also have to be record-setting. We pulled back on that ourselves. We’re thinking about another plan.” Read more here.
Source: Philadelphia Business Journal; 11/16/2023
Developer looks to take control of Germantown Y
Developer Ken Weinstein has filed a petition to take possession of and rehabilitate the Germantown YWCA, a blighted city-owned building that has sat vacant for two decades. If a judge sides with Weinstein, his company could become the Y’s conservator under Act 135, a designation that could also see the historic property sold to a new developer. In 2016, the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority selected Ohio-based KBK Enterprises to revamp the four-story brick building on Germantown Avenue. And the company is still working to secure funding for its $18 million plan to transform the Y into a mixed-use development, a source of deep frustration for many residents who desperately want to see the property put back into use. Filed last month in Common Pleas Court, the petition includes a preliminary to-do list that Weinstein would complete if the conservatorship is granted. It calls for more than $130,000 worth of exterior improvements, including roof and brick work, bracing retaining walls, patching holes, and scraping and painting window trims. A virtual hearing is set for Dec. 22. Read more here.
Source: PlanPhilly; 11/20/2023
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