can find um local local eats and drinks um not from your national chains but from more local
focused breweries and and that kind of a thing um so also this is a referral not a refusal um we
we believe that the opposition again was just folks that didn't want to see any kind of um
business go into the spot that that would attract tourists um and as you can see the spot the spot
needs work and the block needs work so we're hopeful that we can get the support here of of
the zba and we can go excuse me mr console this is sharon did you say that the rco letter
sent a letter in support there it's the the rco board themselves supported three to two
The meeting attendees was 4 to 11, and the RCO themselves didn't seem to indicate either way on this document.
They did not state a position, but it does say that all meeting attendees, 4 supported and 11 opposed, 3 did not vote.
Right, that's what I just said.
Yeah, for some reason they broke it down.
I just suspect that the RCO wanted it.
I think the board did.
I just believe that the neighbors that came out and called in, they wanted to appease them as well.
So they took no position, not even a negative position here, and didn't attach any kind of rationale to this.
So we're hopeful that we can get the support.
We think it needs it.
And like I said, Michael has a proven track record of success here.
And in a second, I'll let him talk.
Briefly, he wanted me to mention that he'll be employing at a minimum of 12 people, possibly up to 20 people, and trash.
He'll be recycling all bottles.
He has some sort of machine that turns all the glass bottles into sand, and he sends them out for recycling.
And otherwise, he has daily pickup for his other two restaurants that will also continue to pick up this trash.
It'll be a daily trash pickup.
so we don't believe there's any issue
in terms of trash and that kind of a thing.
So if I could call Michael,
if you could raise his hand and we could swear him in.
Michael, may you please raise your virtual hand
so you can be sworn in, sir.
Michael, please state your name and spell it for the court reporter.
Do we have him?
What is the name again?
Michael Stasek, S-T-O-S-I-A-C.
Can you please raise your hand to be recognized?
If not, we will move on.
Thank you.
Nothing?
right so so council we understand you're an officer of the court so we'll we'll understand
that that would adopt a testimony so we're fine okay any questions from the board no mr chairman
no sir are there other people in the virtual audience that would like to talk or or testify
about this i see no hands mr chair planning commission
um well this is mason austin representing the planning commission
um it's m-a-s-o-n-a-u-s-t-i-n
um so the property uh i'm sorry one minute chair if you could swear him in he's newly
um appointed for the planning commission for today sure do you swear or affirm to tell the
truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth yes i do thanks uh mr chair and members of the
board, this property is designated for commercial mixed use in the comprehensive plan and zoning
matches that designation. Given the location in the heart of an area that has long served
as a destination for dining and entertainment, there's no reason to believe the impact of this
proposal will be greater than what one would normally anticipate from that use. Consequently,
staff of the planning commission support the request for a special exception. Thank you.
support the request for a special exception. Thank you.
MI 2021 00956 13th North 3rd Street, I vote yes.
Carol Tenere, my vote is yes.
Pastor Plaza, my vote is yes.
James Snell, my vote is yes.
Thomas Holloman, my vote is yes.
Thank you, board.
Thank you.
MI 2021-003551, 1325 Beach Street.
No RCO letter from the Fishtown neighbors.
Councilman Squill did send a letter of non-opposition where he talks about provisos, etc.
Council is Stephanie Boggs-McMagda.
Mr. Chair, Mr. Ronald Patterson has his hand raised.
I can speak at this time.
You can promote him.
Mr. Patterson will be rejoining us as a panelist.
i'm here good afternoon good morning mr patterson could you state your name and spell it for the
court reporter sure good afternoon uh nice to see you mr chairman uh ronald patterson p-a-t-t-e-r-s-o-n
claire harrison law firm 1835 market street philadelphia pa 19103 on behalf of the owner
developer and the tenant in this application you swear a firm to tell the truth the whole truth
nothing but the truth i do okay sir uh okay do you want me to follow through yeah yeah yeah
do you agree to waive the reading of refusal and stipulate to its accuracy i agree to waive the
reading um the refusal is not accurate it calls this a special exception case when it actually
as a variance case. So I want to make that note. Okay, so noted. Have you emailed the exhibit
packet with proof of ownership, tax compliance, refusal, referral, photos under plans of the
property, five days in advance of this hearing, and have you met with the RCO, and do you have
a letter? I have done all that. I don't have the letter, but I have assigned a proviso agreement
that we have with Fishtown Neighbors Association. Okay, great. You may proceed. Great, thank you.
Let me share my screen here.
Is the screen shared? Yep. Okay, great.
One second.
So, this application regards, the address is 1325 Beach Street.
You'll see an aerial photograph here.
I'm sorry, Mr. Patterson.
This is Tanya Sunkit. We're unable to see.
Oh, we lost it.
Okay, let me try it again.
are we clear now
yes okay great thanks
So, this is an aerial photograph of the property. To the left, which is to the south, is Penn
Treaty Park. It's at the Delaware River, obviously. It's the site of the historical Pico-Delaware
generating power plant station that surfaced Philadelphia from 1923 until about the early
2000s. Here is a rendering of what it's going to look like. So the building that exists is
historically designated. Mr. Winderman, an architect from the time designed this building,
constructed in the classic revival and bozart style. The owner and developer,
which I mentioned I also represent, is preserving yet renovating the building and restoring it.
which I mentioned I also represent as preserving yet renovating the building and restoring it to
its former grandiose but different state. The property is approximately 16 acres
and it's a six-story building containing and will contain these former boilers that are
at the top of the building. So some renovations have been underway at the facility
to bring it back to life over the last couple years. I obtained by right approvals
that collectively approved a two-story addition here atop of the building,
creating 284 single-family residential dwelling units both inside the building
and that new addition, creating business and professional offices back here
in the front, and creating 322 on-site parking spaces.
So this application regards a use approval in the interior of the building
along this area here that would be facing the river. We seek to use the Grand Ball areas
for banquet events by Joe Volpe who owns and operates the Chess Cafe operation. He also
plans to move his main headquarters here. So the property is located in a CMX3 commercial
zoning district plus four special overlay control districts. One of them requires that
that any such use as this requires a variance.
Now, there's no separate category for banquet events,
but it's contained within the use category
of nightclubs and private clubs.
And that's why the refusal reads that way,
which is kind of misleading.
So what is proposed will activate the building
in the waterfront, as Joe will briefly describe,
events can take place along the rear here
and also utilize this open space. This is the river trail that I'm pointing to which will
connect with Penn Treaty Park and proceed to the north and it will remain open to the public.
So what is proposed again is large banquet event space, no third-party events
like all of Joe's other seven venues in Philadelphia. So while our use is a banquet
hall as I mentioned it's not a nightclub which is that use category of the zoning code which
brings us that we met with the Fishtown Neighborhood Association and showed and committed to
series of provisos some of the pictures
pretty fascinating
There's some interior photos, space under construction to our final provisor conditions here.
so it's my exhibit two of my packages they're actually their letter here as you'll see i don't
know why you don't have it but the um we've agreed to the proviso conditions which regard
it's probably beyond what the board is interested in but um it kind of boxes us into the banquet
hall use so we're not turning it into a nightclub or private club which is not what we're asking so
the categorization of the banquet hall as well as the location of this property the building
its past uses, its proposed use, and its surrounding use creates an unnecessary hardship to allow
us to viably reuse this building.
And yet the use coupled with the FNA provision conditions, for example, are evidence that
the use at this location will create no adverse impacts for the public health and safety
and welfare.
So with that said, I would ask if you could promote Joe Volpe, V-O-L-P-E.
I'm allowed to speak.
so are you there i'm here and mr volpe could you mention your name and spell it for the court
reporter george joseph volpe j-o-s-e-p-h-v-o-l-p-e mr volpe do you swear or firm to tell the truth
the whole truth and nothing but the truth i do thank you thank you uh hi joe uh could you let
the board know your connection with this application yeah certainly first uh thank you to the
entire zba board for here in our case we we appreciate it um my name is joseph volpe as we
stated earlier um the owner of a cheska the event group which is a full service uh wedding and a
Wedding and a large gala event production company located right here in Philadelphia.
large gala event production
As Ron stated, we have seven other venues here in Philadelphia, and we ask that you make this grandiose building our eighth venue and our corporate headquarters.
So that is our intention. I've been working with the FNA for about three or four years now to get this off of the ground.
um i finally have uh partnered with the the right um developer who's going to make that happen
and uh you know we ask that you uh grant our uh our approval so thank you joe let me ask you a
few questions um you heard my presentation would you agree that it's true and accurate and you would
adopt it as if you were your own yes and let's just focus just briefly so this is not a night
club or a private club correct no and as you use it as your as like your other banquet facilities
and it wouldn't be rented for third party use where they could come in and do whatever they
want in the space is that correct correct it'll be it'll be um ran just like our seven other
venues we specialize in weddings and large galas and that is our intention for this facility as
well so you saw fna support letter and i'm showing right now the provisors although they go beyond
what the board can approve but just to see the flavor of what um you know the spirit of cooperation
with them and you're you're in in agreement with those provisors yes we've agreed to all of those
correct um thank you excuse me this is oh i'm sorry mr patterson no further questions for mr
sorry to interrupt i just wanted to say that i've gone through the proposed uh provisos
and my recommendation for what would be permitted and enforceable would be these provisos
permitted use limited to private events not open to the public number one two hours of operation
they would be as stated in the letter from fna and trash to be stored indoors do you find those
acceptable that's for you joe yes i do thank you questions from the board i have no questions
other people in the virtual audience who have uh issues that we want to raise
no hands mr chair planning commission hi mr chair and members of the board this is mason
austin speaking for the planning commission this property is designated for commercial mixed use
in the comprehensive plan and the zoning was updated in 2015 to match that designation
the location is well separated from residential uses and the proposal will help to revitalize
the historic property further this use is only prohibited pursuant to an overlay that was not
supported by the Planning Commission. Consequently, staff of the Planning Commission support the
granting of the requested variance. MI 2021-003551-1325, Beach Street, I vote yes
with the provisos that our council mentioned. Sorry, Bill. Harold Tenere, my vote is yes with
provisos. Professor Plaza, yes with provisos. James Snell, yes with provisos. Thomas Holliman,
yes we'll devise those
thank you so much
thank you
have a great day
that's amazing
MI 2021
003536
1438 McKean Street
Mark Danik is the
counsel no RC letter
no RCO letter from the
South Broad Street Neighborhood Association
Mr. Danek has been promoted to panelist.
Would you state your name and spell for the court reporter, please?
Yes, Mark Danek, M-A-R-K-D-A-N-E-K.
I'm the attorney of record for 423 Cedar Lane, the owner of 1438 McCain Street.