the property yes and have you uh engaged in the same analysis that mr henderson engaged in in
order to determine whether you could develop this property with nine homes or less yes well i'm the
I brought the engineer in right and what we found out was it was a dump site back in the 50s
it was a dump site back in the 50s and it was dumped with ash and um so we would have to remove
and it was dumped with ash
the ash and bring in fresh soil along with doing the hill go pierce so it actually would actually
be better for the neighborhood all the way around because there's a lot of problems
in that area where they have a lot of moisture in the base and this would actually take care of it
And as far as the analysis on the construction costs for this project, can you develop this project for less than nine homes, feasibly?
The number I came up with, you start making a profit halfway through the eighth home.
so in other words so if you were to develop eight homes or less could you feasibly develop
this property no and is that based on your professional experience as a construction
industry yes and have you developed other other homes have you constructed other homes in the
area yes hundreds i would say about 130 total and what has happened as far as construction costs
since you initially proposed this project to the board back in 2018 well i'll make i'll make it
i'll make it simple uh a sheet of plywood which was three quarter was about 38 a sheet it's now
97 dollars a sheet average home uses about 130 sheets
you do your calculations right there excuse me sir excuse me sir are you quoting retail wholesale
so when we buy material we buy in bulk so we usually get a better price
that we'll buy
50 sheets at a time
that's our price
for CD
plywood
CDX plywood
so you're quoting
wholesale
that's bulk sir
when you buy plywood sir
there's all different types of plywood
if you
bought a three quarter
three quarter
um i'm i'm familiar i'm familiar with plywood i'm an architect so they know the different
standards of the plywood correct i'm just getting the cost from you
i'm telling you the prices for three quarter inch plywood are going anywhere from 80 87 to
to close close on it. I was a sheep. Thank you. And Mr. DeMarco. Yeah, last question. It has says
the supply chain issues that we've all heard so much about. Has that also impacted your ability
to to feasibly pull off this project? Yes. How so? Well, most of the interior
fit out. There are products that are being held up. Not so much
the framing, but HVAC
equipment, electrical equipment, cabinetry,
countertops, flooring, drywall.
All them prices are up at least
Mr. Turner, do you have any questions? I do.
Mr. Appelajati, do you agree with Mr. Henderson that the nine-init proposal is no longer feasible?
I already made that statement.
So you agree with him this is not a feasible proposal being presented to the board today?
I said halfway through the eighth one is when you start making money.
okay um have you done a cost analysis for a uh detached single family home on each of the two
lots in question i don't i'm gonna explain something to you this way you understand
you ever build a home before i'm the attorney i asked the question i'm asking you did you ever
build a home before no i don't think it's hold on hold on hold on mr pelshadi do me a favor
just answer his questions well i'm trying to could i'm not okay so just answer his questions
yeah answer it without asking if you didn't that's fine yeah now it's when you take them on a site
okay like this site you have if we put just say we put a 4 000 square foot home on there
we would still have to have to do 90 of the work that we would have to do for nine homes
So it's not feasible.
so it's not feasible
Do you agree with me that there are 4,000 square foot homes that sell in excess of $850,000 in the immediate neighborhood?
you agree with me that there are four
They don't have these soil problems, though.
And so if you did a detached single-family home, how many helical piers would you need?
Objection.
You're aware of this.
Once you disturb the soil, we have to take it all out.
So if you were to construct a 4,000 square foot detached single family home on either
of the two lots in question, what would the cost be for the helical piers and what would
the cost be to remove the soil you're referencing?
The soil itself and the helical piers, we have to stabilize the ground, the whole ground.
okay that's the problem with when some half-assed builders come in like they did years ago that's
why all that on us1 where all them homes collapsed because they built there but around it the ground
shifted and settled this is why we have to put piers in all the way around backfill it with
clean fill i removed it the ash that's in there so the price is the same no matter if you build
The one home, as far as the structure of infrastructure, will be built nine.
So, Mr. Palachati, what would the price be for stabilizing the ground,
installing the helical piers on either of the two lots?
You're probably talking about 1.1, 1.2.
A million.
Yes, sir.
Right. And that's for both lots or one lot? It's all, well, I'm considering one lot.
How many less? What's the reduction in number of helical piers if you're just doing a detached
4,000 square foot? I answered that to you already. The piers still have to go in there for
stabilization of the ground. So if you build a shed that you need to do the same number of
and the same site clearing as if you build a 20,000-square-foot home?
The soil is all the way around.
We would have to put a sleeve.
It's almost like when they build down the shore,
when they sleeve an area for a home,
we have to put steel sleeves all the way around,
almost like a box.
Fill it with clean fill and dirt.
And then for a 4,000-square-foot home,
you're probably looking at uh 66 probably 66 peers
and is that included in some sort of written calculation or is that just your off the cuff
analysis here today that's that's off my cuff right now just like you're okay yeah but before
today did you go through the exercise of running the numbers for one four thousand square foot
home or eight 2100 square foot home i i i heard you before i want you to answer my question
wait a minute wait a minute guys wait a minute mr pelciotti listen to me if you didn't do it
that's fine just say you didn't do it no no sir i brought an engineer in and we discussed it
together and he's the one that came up this i did not come up with this that we have to
stabilize the ground he said dan we have to stabilize the whole the whole area in order
for you to build one big home yeah so mr palachati the commonwealth court took this case and brought
it back to this tribunal and they asked for us to assemble record factual testimony on what is
the minimum variance like at what point does the project break even and so what i'm asking you i
know you've done you know i'm gonna object to ask an answer but i'm sorry wait a minute every tanya
everybody listen. First of all, you got to stop arguing. Mr. Toner, I think he hasn't done those
kind of exercises that he said. He had to talk to the engineer. We got to move on here. Do me a
favor, Mr. Pellicciotti, just answer yes or no. You don't have to debate this. Just answer yes or
no. Yes, sir. Mr. Toner. Mr. Pellicciotti, did you go through the exercise of working with an
engineer coming up with calculations for one single family home on each of the two lots in
question? Yes. I'm going to object. It's one lot. Why do we keep asking a question about two lots?
It's one lot. I'm sorry, Chair. This is Tanya again. Objection. I would respectfully ask that
we consider doing a resumption for this hearing. We have one more that might be
We consider doing a resumption for this hearing.
We have one more that might be lengthy and then the 3.30 list.
Let's go.
I agree.
Thank you, Chair.
Let's finish with this witness, at least.
Mr. Toner.
Is there any written document that includes the details of the off-the-cuff analysis you gave here to the—
I think he's answered that.
I mean, that's what he said.
He answered that was off-the-cuff, so there's not a written document.
all right i have no further questions okay so we're going to have to resume this hearing at
another time um tanya i'll have them get in touch and we'll figure out when it is okay
thank you sir mr pelchotti thanks for your testimony thank you sir okay thank you mr
chairman members of the board thank you get here okay okay number 13 mi 2022 001 290 8230
to 38 frankfort avenue
letter of non-opposition from holmesburg civic association
Joseph Consul.
Mr. Consul, you've already been sworn.
Yes, Joseph.
Could you identify your client relationship to the property?
Yes, my client is Melody Emmerin.
She is the owner representative of Legacy Enrichment Center, LLC.
And our vice chair has a few questions.
Certainly.
Hi, Mr. Consul.
Do you agree to weigh the reading of the refusal and stipulate to its accuracy?
It's a referral, but besides that, yes.
Sorry about that.
Have you emailed the exhibit packet with proof of ownership tax compliance, a copy of the referral,
photos and or plans of the property five days in advance of this hearing,
and have you met with the RCO, and do you have a letter?
Yes to all.
Thank you.
You may proceed, and please share your screen.
I attempted to share. Is my packet up?
There it is.
All right. We're good. Okay.
Joseph Consul here for Legacy Enrichment Center, LLC.
Melody Emmerin is with me and will adopt my testimony in a moment.
We are here on 8230 to 38 Frankfurt Avenue.
That is a small shopping center near Penny Park Creek.
I can give you, here's what the outside of the building looks like. The previous approval, though it was never used, was for a daycare center. Here's a photo of the inside of the space.
My client is here seeking a special exception to use the property as a daytime community class center for things like personal finance, real estate classes, that sort of thing.
And then at night or on the afternoons and the weekends, bridal showers and baby showers and those kinds of special events.
um we included in our packet the referral it's cmx 2.5 so it's an assembly and entertainment
um referral um we have the non-opposition letter from holmesburg civic association we had a nice
meeting with them and there was no opposition expressed at that time for us to use this space
and the packet contains the rest of the items I mentioned, including the plans and the photos.
Here's the floor plans showing what the setup will be like inside
and our other tax documentation, all included, as well as the three-year lease and the letter
from the landlord approving my client's use of this space as assembly and entertainment.
with that i'll call miss melody emeryn to adopt my testimony
yes hello can i can you hear me yes yes could you do me a favor state your name and spell for
the court reporter yes it's melody m-e-l-o-d-i-e emeryn e-m-e-r-a-n right do you swear or affirm
to tell the truth the whole truth nothing but the truth yes good afternoon melody how are you
i'm doing well how are you i'm well did you hear my testimony just now regarding uh your leased
property on frankfurt avenue do you adopt it as your own yes is there anything you'd like to add
Yes. Is there anything you'd like to add today to the testimony? What's that?
today to the testimony what's that
Oh, did you say yes or no? No, I don't need to add anything else. Okay. Thank you.
We'll rest with that. Questions from the board? No, Mr. Chairman. No, Mr. Chairman.
Questions or comments from the virtual audience?
planning commission good afternoon mr chairman david vecto city planning commission
the comprehensive plan recommends no change to the commercial mixed use zoning at this location
the applicant has shown that the proposed use will have no more in no more of an impact than
it would be expected to have so the city planning commission recommends that the board grant the
special exceptions. MI 2022-001-290-8230-38
Frankfurt Avenue, I vote yes.
Harold Teneri, my vote is yes.
Thomas Sullivan, my vote is yes.
James Snell, my vote is yes.
Thank you, Board.
Ishmael Shahid, my vote is yes.
Thank you.
Thank you. Have a nice day.
MI-2022-001-308-8330 Millman Street. Call for Maverro for the applicant. Call Boney for the protesters.
Letter of support from the Chestnut Hill Community Association.
Letter of support for revised plans from the Chestnut Hill Conservancy.
mr primavera uh yes mr chairman members of the board carl primavera uh can you see me
and hear me we can hear you but we can't see you see you that may be a break
how's that now we can we're back we're good could you could you spell your name for the court