family dwelling so we're just looking to legalize it as a duplex that's what it originally was
applied for or its previous use based on the 2003 most recent permit um and as you see it was
crossed out um so that's what we're here seeking relief um we're going to meet with the community
solo germantown on the 22nd of september we've already sent out um our required notices for that
meeting um and i'd like to just bring on um joe itzkowicz and um joe bernstein as well just to
get them uh sworn in and their names on the record and have them excuse me this is sharon saletta
Before you do that, Allison Weiss texted me that she has her hand up,
and she actually wanted to request that this be continued until after the RCO meeting.
So perhaps we should let her speak.
Yeah, she doesn't have her hand up.
I believe we addressed, I did address that in the beginning, but happy to.
I understand that, but she still gets to request that it be continued.
Thank you.
are you available
let's go to the other witness or witnesses that you have
rachel and then we'll come back for miss voice
for um see joe bernstein and joe it's quits as well
joe do you want to say your name your last name and your address for the record please yep this
is Job Itzkowitz, J-O-B. Last name is I-T-Z-K-O-W-I-T-Z. I'm a member of Joby Property,
the owner of the 116 Mannheim. My home address is 1402 South 15th Street, Philadelphia, PA,
19146. Job, do you swear in front of me to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the
truth? I do. Thank you. Please proceed. And Job, do you want to provide any additional information
besides what I shared, if not, maybe just want to corroborate sort of your experience with
when you purchased the property, the way that it's built out, the tenants that are in it,
and any additional information you'd like to share? Yes, everything Rachel said is correct.
I would just say that the same tenants are in as when we purchased the property,
I think at the end of last year. So there hasn't even been a changeover. I think that's it.
Do you know if there's been any issues with near neighbors as far as having concerns?
Do you know if there's been any issues with near neighbors as far as having concerns with the
tenants or the property or anything of that nature? Not to my knowledge. And have you heard
my testimony and do you adopt it as your own? I do. Thank you. Thank you. Joseph, are you there
as well? Yes, I'm here. Can you see me? Yes, Mr. Bernstein, please spell your name. Give us your
name and address for the record? Certainly. Joseph, J-O-S-E-P-H, Bernstein, B-E-R-N-S-T-E-I-N.
I live at 150 West Penn Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19144. Actually about five or six blocks from
the subject property. You swear for him to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the
truth? I certainly do. Rachel, please proceed. Yeah, Joe, is there anything that you want to add
for the record? I would just add that much of the block is multifamily. We've been pretty well
received since we purchased it. We've done just general cleanup. We've tried to mow the lawn
twice a week since we purchased it, particularly in the summer. We have cleaned up the block a few
times and we've had a number of neighbors reach out to us and tell us they appreciate our
involvement there yeah i would just um thank you joe just add to that uh just to be clear on the
additional properties that are also multifamily 139 manheim 141 143 145 and 147 all show based
on the city's records a duplex or multifamily use um yep joe have you heard my testimony and
do you adopt it as your own i do yes thanks rachel may i add one thing um the only other
thing is that in the agreement of sale there's reference to it as a two-unit property and an
assurance from the seller that it was a two-unit property. Not noted. Thank you. Did we get Ms. Weiss?
Ms. Weiss, are you phone number ending in 555? If so, you can unmute yourself.
hello yes miss weiss
miss weiss please identify yourself give us your name first name and last name spell your last name
and your address miss weiss you have to unmute yourself
hit star six oh sorry okay now speak sorry uh allison weiss
fellow germantown civic association 4908 wayne avenue w-e-i-s-s
thank you do you swear and affirm to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth
Thank you.
Please proceed.
We had the community preferred to have the meeting prior to the testimony so they could discuss it.
And there were some neighbors that had some concerns about this property.
Well, as you know, we've heard the case.
We'll hold it pending the outcome of the meeting of the RCO.
when is the next rco meeting do you know we're meeting on september 22nd it's still going to
be the 22nd okay so we're a week away yeah so within uh two weeks we expect a letter from the
rco yeah we will be sending a letter okay um thank you and can i say uh miss weiss it won't
only be a letter you will we will schedule a second hearing you will have an opportunity
to testify if you would like it'll be a limited hearing but you will have an opportunity to
testify we'll be able to have community members there at that time correct yes okay thank you
yeah thank you sharon i appreciate that left it out i'm sure all right anyone else
if we can put on record october the 6th at 3 30. wonderful okay thank you october the 6th at 3 30.
uh anyone else to testify on this case please raise your hand no hands at this time chair
thank you carol next case thank you thank you gentlemen thank you
carol you have to unmute carol you're muted carol so i hate to be muted calendar number mi
dash 2020 dash 000799 171 Grape Street. The attorney is Jared Klein.
Good afternoon.
Mr. Chair, members of the board, Jared Klein, White Grom LLP, 130 North 18th Street.
Jared, do you affirm to tell the truth and nothing but the truth?
Yes, I do.
And do you also agree to waive the reading of the refusal and stipulate to its accuracy?
This is actually not a full presentation.
And we're back to give the board an update on post-hearing conversations between my client and the RCO.
And that's the Mount Yonk Neighborhood Council?
Can you present what you have?
Absolutely.
I'm having some trouble with my video at the moment, but I hope I can still share my screen.
uh can everybody see that yes great all right so i'll uh proceed without you having to see me
um we uh following the last hearing uh as the board may recall this application was to
add an additional residential unit to an existing 22 unit dwelling
um there was some conversation uh between the applicant and the rco at the last hearing about
items that could be addressed in terms of the aesthetic of the site and some other
issues that were raised by the RCO. And so we did have some follow-up conversations with them.
And I'm sharing the letter that Man Utd Neighborhood Council sent to the board earlier
this week, which accurately summarizes our conversations. As you'll see, and in fairness
to the RCO, they do note that they continue to have an objection to the additional unit.
But they also acknowledge that we've committed to several changes that mitigate the deficiencies of the site and want to acknowledge those.
And then they go on to list the items we propose, which include removing the parking spaces that were blocking the exterior windows of the additional unit we were proposing, and to replace that parking space with landscaping.
We're going to enclose in the screen the trash area.
We're going to address a concern that was raised about some striping in the no parking zone on Grape Street that appeared to be further than what the streets department would require.
We didn't paint it, but we've told the RCO we're going to do what we can to shorten the no parking zone, which will probably give a street space or two back.
and we're going to install an additional guardrail on the edge of the parking area if the board may recall
this is one where there was a bit of a height drop because of the slope of the street
so to address any safety concern and to additionally screen the trash
and with that the board said that or the MNC summarized that should the board choose to
approve the project uh they would ask for these provisos these provisos are certainly acceptable
to us um and i i would again ask the board uh vote favorably upon the application
thank you do you have any witnesses before uh we'll ask for other
um i don't mr chair i believe my client may be on the line but we're really just agreeing to
what's in this correspondence so i don't believe i need that verified okay very good thank you
questions from the board
anyone wish to testify in this case please raise your hand
There are no hands up at this time, Chair.
And if I could make a correction to the calendar number that you gave.
So the MI-2020-000844.
M-I-2020-000844 is the number to reference for this property.
Okay, thank you.
And Jared, if you can leave that screen up right now with the provisors, that would be helpful.
Absolutely.
All right.
Planning Commission.
Good afternoon.
This is Ian Litwin with Planning Commission staff.
Although this parcel is zoned RSA 5, single-family attached, the existing multifamily use was approved in 2009.
In addition, the comprehensive plan recommends this lot be remapped to RM1, residential multifamily.
Accordingly, we are not opposed to the addition of one unit, but we do support the provisor suggested by the Maniac Neighborhood Council.
Thank you.
um calendar number let's see mi 2020-000844 171 grape street my vote is yes with the following
provisos uh enclose and screen trash area uh somebody's
uh i don't think we have any we have no authority i don't believe over the street
striping of the street that's going to have to be approved by the streets
department provide a guardrail along the edge of the parking area where there is
a significant drop to the sidewalk below and landscape the unusable the
unusable square at the corner and I want to go back up to the remove parking
blocking basement unit windows and replace them with landscaping sufficient
to prevent them from being used as overflow or visitor parking um i think that would require
a revised plan um that was just one i don't know um
miss mr mr klein would you agree that that without having to come back with a revised plan
um that as an officer court that you will make sure that your um client um abides by that proviso
yes sir we we know which parking space is specifically being referred to there and we
will i certify that i'll make sure it gets done all right it's in your written testimony to the
board so i will that'll be sufficient we'll so note that in the testimony all right so with that
i think i said my vote was yes with those provisos yes with proviso yes with proviso yes with proviso
thank you very much everybody sorry i couldn't get my video uh but it was nice seeing everybody
good job thank you calendar number mi2020-000697
1030 west gerard avenue the attorney is adam laver
good afternoon mr chairman and members of the board um good afternoon can you put your name
an address on the record, Mr. Laver? Yes, Mrs. Tenere. Adam Laver, L.A. Fies and Victor, E.R.
Blank, Rome, 1 Logan Square, Philadelphia, 19103. And do you swear or affirm to tell the truth and
nothing but the truth? I do. Do you also agree to waive the reading of the refusal and stipulate
to its accuracy? I do, Mrs. Tenere. Thank you. You may present your case. Thank you.
bear with me for just one moment okay are you able to see the large rendering that's up on the
screen yes yes yes good thank you
Adam Laver of Blank Rome on behalf of Zane Development and its principal Michael Al-Haddad,
owner of the property at 1030 West Girard Avenue. The development proposal before you today
comprises Phase 2, which is on the left hand of the screen, of a two-phase project. Phase 1 was
previously reviewed and approved by this board and is currently under construction here you
hopefully see in the elevations on the screen at the left phase one was fully approved it's
under construction phase two would propose to create a seamless multi-use project very
similar to what had been approved in phase one here you see the rear of the
Here you see the rear of the property. There's no front, rear, or side. Everything
property there's no front rear
is treated as a front for this property and I mean in terms of the quality of
the materials etc that's being proposed. The entire development site encompasses
a city block. It fronts on the south side of Girard Avenue as depicted in this
aerial photograph running through to West Harbor at the rear bounded by 10th
Street and 11th Street in the photograph you see tennis courts which are not
there anymore that's the under construction site already approved to
the left where it says 1030 West Gerrard Avenue that was a former recreation
center and that is the site of phase two this is a very important site within the
Council President's District in that it fronts on Girard Avenue, a commercial thoroughfare,
but also, as you can see in the photographs, clearly just to the south, you have significant
residential that's been there for a long time. I've provided Exhibits 1 through 13 to the board
and to Ms. Saleta and in the exhibits you'll see unanimous support from the
coordinating RCO and Ms. Diane Monroe is here today I'm sure. Also with us are
Stuart Rosenberg and Justin Coleman of SGRA Architects. Turning now to the
zoning map which is at your tab 6, you'll see that the site is on CMX 2.5 in
purple, and you'll see a whole array of zoning classifications around it, which
really speak to the transitional nature of the site. Moving to our proposal, I'm
going to go through some renderings. You're seeing different images of the
site. The general overview calls for the new construction of a six-story multi-use
building with underground parking for 55 cars accessed from West Harper Street from the rear
of the site. Here you see 10th Street and towards the left you see West Harper Street. I'm going to
take you to an image now of the access point to the underground parking. It's really well done
in that you have a significant multifamily project here,
but you have the feel almost with the single curb cut
of single-family residential or low density,
which corresponds nicely with the residential across the street.
You also see in this view the pedestrian entrance,
an additional pedestrian entrance here along Harper Street.
That's another view of Harper Street as well.
The phase two parking has parking for 55 cars underground, bicycle parking for 40 bicycles.
There are five retail commercial spaces proposed in this pink or peach color off of Gerrard
Avenue with uses as permitted in the district.
And you see in the purple 10 townhomes called masonettes here on this plan are proposed
for West Hart to relate nicely to the residential that's back there. And then
above is proposed up to 110 apartments from the second through sixth floors
with rooftop decks. Here you see on the right phase one in white what was
already approved. Underground parking to the left, the 55 spaces for phase two.