name and spell it for the stenographer. How are you doing? My name is Jonathan Jacob,
J-O-N-A-T-H-A-N, Jacob, J-A-C-O-B. Mr. Jacobs, was everything I said to the board... Hold on a
minute. Hold on a minute. Sorry. You swear or affirm to tell the truth, told you nothing but
the truth. Yes, I do. Please proceed, counsel. You got it. So, Mr. Jacobs, did you hear all of
my presentation made to the board today? Yes. Is it true and accurate, and can you adopt it as
your formal testimony in this manner? Yes, I do. Okay, Mr. Chairman, we can take questions.
Questions from the board. I have a few questions. One, deliveries. So it looks like there's really
two, one main access point for the entire commercial space. And what is going to be your
plan for deliveries and drop-offs okay so um with our um events we tend to have a certain a lot of
time for everyone to to deliver before decorators coming uh as far as uh food or props or whatever
but everyone is given their time slot to deliver so it won't be overcrowding of
the doorway um we kind of manage it um before prior to the events
and there's never any deliveries drop-offs or anything while an event is happening no no no
that in my no it never happened no so everything is done prior to that so our company basically
just handles everything so we kind of prep the events prior to the event and have everything
done before they start to start so there's no deliveries happening during the event
okay and then uh when during a live event what's going to be your uh interior trash
plan until you take it to the dumpsters so we have i have a hired uh crew of cleaners about
two to three per event um we have trash cans um and we replenish them as they get full and
during the events we have staff that uh empty trash cans out and take them to the dumpster
during the events and replenish them so it won't be just uh us sitting there and then how are they
getting these to the to the dumpster are they just coming out the front door um yeah yeah yeah so uh
we if if they're if if if i have a trash can by the lobby or somewhere else they'll they will tie
it up and walk it right out to the front front door but it tends to normally get full towards
like the ending of the event doesn't get full during the event like in the beginning of the
event or it'll take a time a matter of time for it to get full so towards whenever like towards
the end when everyone is dancing or out their seats and or cleaning up that's when our cleaning
crew where it's going around and um cleaning up and replenishing the trash cans you have access
to another space for storage or is this floor plan like all that furniture comes in space
yeah so i have um access to some storage and also next door as well there's a big
probably same amount of space 5 000 square feet that is vacant that i talked to the owner about
um using some space for storage if i need but um the tables tend to stay stay on the floor
based on um there's nothing else going on besides the events so if i'm taking some tables out they
can fit in the storage room i have now i don't for i don't see no extra storage that i need
at this time but I have access next door. Okay and then for the trash bin that we
been that we saw that's outside is that shared by all of the businesses in the
saw that's outside is that shared by all of the businesses in the complex?
complex so yeah so it is but those I went there the other day so there is
another one actually a larger I think like a six yarder that was added but it
is shared with everyone and then what's your plan for signage um so I plan on
putting a sign on right on the building on the front but i didn't get to that so any permits
that's needed i'll get to that point okay yeah we'll apply separately for signage okay and be
within within the code limits uh yes so the rco recommended um uh all events and before 1am are
you okay with that in terms of your hours of operation yeah typically our events end around 12
or 11 12 um that 1 a.m is just like a little um extra but that's no problem at all one o'clock
is definitely more than so we i would like to if we granted i'd like to provide so i'll go with
the rco say m before one yeah yeah no problem okay questions for our attorney no questions
questions or comments from the audience or the virtual audience i see no hands at this time
to planning commission ina solomonic the planning commission the comprehensive plan recommends no
change to the existing i2 industrial zoning the proposed use is consistent with nearby commercial
properties and will not cause detrimental impacts the neighborhood beyond what normally might be
expected the planning commission recommends the board grant the requested use variance for event
assembly mi 2026 001 510 575 adams avenue i vote yes with proviso use limited to unit three
uh space a and all events do end before 1 a.m go johns my vote is yes with proviso
tennetta graham my vote is yes with proviso i am mcadams my vote is yes with proviso i win my vote
yes with proviso mr patterson thank you sir
mi 2026 001 535 1115 frankfort avenue
mr patterson could you please state your name and spell for the stenographer
Sure. Good afternoon. Ronald Patterson, P-A-T-T-E-R-S-O-N, Claire Harrison Law Firm, K-L-E-H-R, 1835 Market Street.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Yes, I do.
And I see there's a letter of support from Fishtown Neighbors and support from Fishtown Neighborhood Association and the Kensington area of Fishtown, too, right?
Correct.
Our vice chair has a few questions for you.
good evening um have you submitted your documents and exhibits five days in advance of this hearing
yes i have and do you waive the reading of the refusal and stipulate to us accuracy
yes i do all right thank you you can share your screen and proceed with your case thank you
this is going to be the coolest thing you've seen all day i hope so i hope so
So this regards property 1115 Frankfurt Avenue. There's one property in from
Frankfurt and Girard. This is an aerial photograph. It's a little older, but it's
to see the context. This is the building here. There's a side yard and rear yard here.
This building, we find that it's a historical building built in 1886. It was an elevator
manufacturing company otis which i guess is still around um seems to be the only remaining building
here's a more current picture but not the most current so the the warehouse itself which it was
was undergoing extensive renovation is probably 80 complete
you'll see here that there were additions made to the building uh they um were designed by uh
find Italian architects using storage containers, and you're saying, well, what is this place? Well, that's, we're going to get to that. So the building eventually is owned by the West Art Collection, Page West being a principal, and they're modern art collectors and purveyors, right?
Right. The building here, as you see, that's where it's going to be an art museum for modern art.
Here's the surrounding buildings.
Some history to the building, as I mentioned.
Some existing photos, there's a rendering.
Some existing photos. There's a rendering.
So the West Art Collection has a large collection of modern art, comprised of 820 artists, 4,000
works in many different locations.
The main locations is in Oaks, PA.
there's also offices located in new york dublin london denver hong kong toronto and the art
collection goes i guess on tour is that what you would call it okay rotated that's the word i was
looking for so we wanted to establish a home for the museum of art collection here and we're working
on this building i would say probably 10 years again the existing building is close to maybe
80% renovation. This is another building that the collection owns. It is Andrahem. This is a former
way it looked with this art wrapped to the building. This is some of the artwork you'll see.
It's very physical, I will call it. That's what you'll find in this museum. This is a creeping,
actually a live exhibit that continues to crush each other. I don't know at what rate,
maybe a centimeter per day, but Lee will tell us about it soon. Here's some more art.
And I show you this because we do have art proposed in that open space. And we'll talk
about that so we also have again we have permits for the art collection that we're proposing out
into the the open area which is a cultural park so why are we here today well we wanted to propose
i'll call it a wall fence on this opening
here, and we proposed a wall fence of 11 feet 4 inches with 100% opaqueness, which the zoning
code states that a front fence cannot exceed 4 feet and cannot exceed 50% opaqueness. We
filed this application with this zoning plan and you'll see here this is where the fence
wall i'll call it would actually be located to me it's not a fence because it's not on the front
property line and that's how we filed it um l and i disagreed but they did agree that if we put a
fence and then put that wall behind it then that would be a structure so we didn't really want to
play that game because we want a fence in front of this wall and here's the wall we're proposing
It's really, and it serves multiple functions.
It will be open during the day while the museum is open,
and the museum is open to the public, and it's free of no charge.
It would also serve as for security to protect, for example,
the yard that's in that yard area while the museum is closed.
And it also is in character and context with the building
because there's going to be art on, and the art will change as well.
So the code states, just for reference, that any fence located nearer to the front lot line, then the building shall be no more than four feet.
So we're not near the front lot line. We're actually set back from the front line.
And as the zoning plan shows, this line here actually was in line with one of those protruding additions.
So with that said, we believe that the property will alternately will suffer an unnecessary hardship by not having the height for that wall, which, again, serves many purposes, an entryway, security, and also as artwork.
We did meet with Fishtown Neighborhood Association in June.
They took a vote, and it was 45 to 2 in favor, zero opposition by near neighbors or the board.
We also met with the Fishtown district in April 1st.
They all recognized the need for the height and the opaqueness and the appropriateness for having security and allowing the open-air garden to be open to the public and then, of course, closed at night.
So with that said, I'll introduce you to Lee Statzel.
And Lee, if you could just tell the board your name and address.
Lee, could you just tell your name and spell it for the stenographer?
Lee Statzel, L-E-E-S-T-O-E-T-Z-E-L.
Right. Do you swear we're referring to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
Yes, sir, I do.
Please proceed, counsel.
Hi, Lee. You've heard my presentation. Would you believe it's true and accurate?
And would you adopt it as if it were your own?
I would.
Okay. And what's your affiliation with the Look collection?
Well, for the last 30 years, I've been working with a family as they've built up this collection.
working with their family as they built up this collection. And I've been living near this site
and I've been
for the last 10 as they've been working on this building as well. So we're pretty familiar with
the area. So if you could tell the board, you know, the two or three minute vision of what's
going on here and why we need this fence wall. So we have a lot of big art, large scale sculpture,
or we call it monumental, that we'd like to show in this area.
Like is this what I'm showing?
Such as Narrow House.
In fact, Narrow House is in the first show.
So it's 26 feet high, 52 feet deep, and four and a half feet wide on the interior.
And people can go inside.
So it's sort of like almost like a fun house, if you want to say it that way.
Like people experience it.
They kind of like an amusement ride, almost.
And our feeling is just we'd love to be able to protect these objects from graffiti, from people scaling a wall, people throwing stuff at them in the evening time when we close.
And really, that's all. In order to make it more appealing, we thought, wouldn't it be nice if on this wall, which is, we grant you, is tall, 11 feet 4, what if we beautify it with rotating art itself so that the streetscape also reflects that there's something beautiful there?
So, essentially, I think that's our ask. There are only a couple other things I just want to say, and that is that we really do care about our community, and we really have reached out to Lutheran Settlement House, for example, who's been in the area for 120 years, and we do want to do things in the neighborhood to make this place accessible and really important.
this is not a museum that charges a ticket our owner wants to make it free
and open to the public so I think I hope and I think our values are in the
right place to to really be a nice neighborhood art center for people
anyway I'll stop okay thank you any questions questions from the board
11 foot 11 foot 4 is very specific is that the exact height of the container next to it is that
what you're aligning with yes yes it is okay what about what about lighting what is your
proposal for lighting will the will the this gate be lit in any way i definitely think with
your approval we would like to light uh the artwork on the gate in a discreet way though
so that it doesn't blast you off the off the side this is but this is not an led display
it's right right right right it's not the biggest led sign you'd say no this is a painted
a painted or applied um rotating art wall right but there would be maybe lighting up lighting from
from the ground or something like that we would like to figure that out um with your approval
so i just in summary i would say that you know we feel the hardships exist per the code
interpretation and the viability to protect the property yet having this will create no
detrimental impacts on the public health safety welfare or traffic and it's within the character
in the context of the building and the area so is this is this fence retractable or just
certain portions of accordion style. On the north side, which is towards Girard, the two gates you
see open, I think, is a 16 or 18 foot opening where they can be completely opened in that way.
And Lee, the middle section is more static. And then there are two sets of manned doors for fire
egress as you get to the southern and the building next to us is the garage correct right here
correct and the idea is to have the gates open while the museum is open so that folks can come
through or no whenever we have decent weather in january in january i might suggest that we have
glass doors on the old building itself and maybe in the winter we we have two entrances
this is optimum right now and then in the dead of january we made it's in the building
through right here yeah so let's call it the gauge are they painted tell me what that is
they're steel they're they're just steel and they and then we're going to paint or
applique on top of that holds up in bad weather too yes okay
that holds up in bad weather too yes okay any other questions i mean i think it's all been said
but i would i would just make sure that you pay attention to lighting and street 11 feet is really
high this is a very walkable neighborhood with lots of foot traffic i get why you want the fence
and i support why you want the fence but that much length of sort of dead fence creates a lot of
safety concerns, especially in a really active area that's known for nighttime activities and
drinking. So I wouldn't want to create any like blind spots or even darken that street any more
than it already is. It does seem like you guys are being thoughtful about it, but I would just
continue to keep that in mind, especially in the winter, if you're talking about leaving it closed
in the winter. I did see some of the examples that you kind of rifled through, Ron. I know
although tech really well as architect there.
But I do think the MoMA fence is oppressive.
I don't think that's a great example.
I think it's really great for the sculpture garden
on the inside and the rich people
who have memberships to MoMA,
but it gets really crowded in the winter
and it's a really terrible experience
for any pedestrian walking on the outside.
Right, 54th Street is-
Yeah, so I think even if there's ways
to open up viewpoints in,
like I know other museums have done that sometimes
where like the seams it might only be three inches but you can at least get a little glimpse