Thank you. Mr. Floyd, please describe the current building at the time of your purchase.
The property at 2803-05 West Allegheny was a staple in the community for a long time. It was the old Thomas Funeral Home.
This property is two contiguous parcels together that had some penetrations made previously
and a great center entrance for the funeral home.
for the funeral home what i purchased was a vacant dilapidated property
What I purchased was a vacant...
that we're looking to rehab that property is three stories the first floor level ground level
is a joint commercial space the second floor which uses office space and also funeral proceedings
And then the third floor on both sides were used as residential apartments.
And excuse me for interrupting.
Mr. Marcel, do you have plans you can share with us?
Yes, they are on page 54 of the packet I sent you.
Are you able to share them on the screen with us?
I can try.
Yeah, we've all been trying a lot of things lately, so don't worry about it.
If it doesn't work, we can understand that.
Let me see what I can do here, sir.
Just a moment.
All right, take your time.
Functions are worked.
uh it is right now not letting me pull this up um let me try share screens hold on thank you
can you see that yep we got it thank you yes we can okay um
Seth are you on the the copy of the plans I can see it okay very well then
Seth I'm going to walk you through the plans and at the same time ask you
questions regarding your proposal
there we go all right as you'll see on the plans the first page there's an
existing plot plan and then there's a proposed plot plan the backyard spaces
between the two halves of the building are slightly different part of the
proposed plan was actually on the second and third floor apartments to add a deck
on the shorter of the two halves that would bring the backs even and then via
that deck which is very small yeah probably you could probably only put a
lounge chair on it uh but it evens up the two backs and it provides additional access to light
and air for the tenants uh on the uh same for the third floor there was a deck uh proposed in the
middle in the small section between the two buildings uh call it the the building's um
little interior alley area that proposed part of the proposal has been removed
that is no longer going to be placed there that area and space between the
two halves of the building is going to remain open from ground to sky the
second portion on the second page of the plans you will see the proposed four
floor plans so the first floor is the area that has already had a section
opened up between the two halves that is the proposed daycare area that area will
remain open in its current configuration pending approval the tenants will will
move in and get their appropriate business licenses and and permits to move forward
with that portion of the project if you look at the front area of the building on the proposed
first floor plan you'll notice that the entry stairs to the second and third floors have been
moved all the way over to the right side the entry stairs if you look at if you look at the original
building were centered in the middle and the doorway to the first floor commercial
area was actually behind them so this leaves the doorway to the commercial
so this leaves the doorway to the commercial area fully exposed to the
area fully exposed
street and open for the proposed second floor plan you will know that there are
two apartments a one-bedroom and an efficiency on each side and then again
same for the third floor plan I believe on the third floor plan they are both
one bedrooms apartments mr. Floyd yes sir okay
I'm sorry just one correction the second and third floor are both the same to one
bedroom apartments two efficiency apartments okay I'm sorry I misread that
and is that on each side 2803 and 2805 yes ma'am they mirror each other there
would be mirror images of each other thank you
mr. Floyd yes sir please describe how you derive this plan and your
interaction with the local RCO. The RCO we have been told to contact and we have been dealing with
is Community Action Group. And we had our meeting with Community Action Group
approximately three weeks ago. We did a Zoom meeting with them and they were the,
we were the first Zoom meeting we were able to accomplish with them
since the appeal process began
and the COVID-19 restrictions were put in place
immediately thereafter.
Mr. Floyd.
Yes, sir.
I'm sorry for interrupting you.
Please describe your project.
You asked me two different questions.
Do you want me to answer how we derived this?
Yes, I'm sorry.
All right.
Um, so, uh, this property, um, we made an assessment on the, started off with making
an assessment on the square footage of the property, which is, uh, approximately 5,256
square feet, uh, in total.
And we, um, attended a, uh, unofficial community meeting with the community action group, the
Neighborhood Association, the RCO, for this property.
During that meeting, we encountered comments about the housing in the neighborhood, as
well as rooming housing issues in the area.
we were originally looking to put apartments here and through discussions also with
the council men for this council person curtis jones's office that we were instructed to
try to make something at this location that would be affordable and in line with the
current rental prices. Our history for renovation work in the city has been taking dilapidated
properties and overly renovating them into a luxury level rentals with very high rents.
That's the brand that I've built and that is what we have done consistently and successfully.
Knowing that history, I was asked not to do that here at 28th and Allegheny just because of the rental rates that we have attracted in the past and that the need was more for something that could be afforded.
And so what we did was we've taken that input and we've matched it with our past and what our strengths are, which are making luxury units.
And we did the math and figured out what we would need to do to give someone at this location the same feel that we've given our other clients in the past, but also to put that in their budget.
And we designed a property here, which will still be a high end luxury units, but smaller sized units, which allowed us to still make the number and meet the.
which allowed us to still make the number and meet the need for the area,
really targeting younger clients as well as older downsizing clients and walkable clients.
After our unofficial meeting with the RCO, this is again before we filed, we did get a confirmation.
about the price point for these units, which we're targeting around $750 a month.
And we made modifications to our plans, which we then submitted. And again, we had the presentation
with the Community Association in reference to this property. The one thing that I would like
to say in reference to this we had a couple goals here one to meet the needs of the community
the second one is as me and my partner are both engineers and me specifically an environmental
engineer was to combine my two passions which was providing housing as well as improving everyone's
relationship with the earth and so incorporated in this project is a $100,000 approximately $100,000
solar panel project which will be on the roof. That is not a part of the zoning conversation
at this point. That is a permit job but I just think for the audience here listening
that you understand what type of property this is going to be and what our vision was.
We currently have a proposal which will not involve any natural gas.
This property will be 100% electric and high efficient.
The proposal for the solar panel system, which spans both roofs, almost around 100% coverage
of the two roofs is projected to supply about 94 percent of this property's electrical usage
therefore reducing our carbon footprint on this property projected down to only six percent
of any of the adjacent and joining properties
Through building mechanisms, we plan to use high-efficiency windows, high-efficiency
insulation, high-efficiency equipment, air conditioning, high-efficiency light bulbs,
and we're going to try to beat that 94 percent projection of energy production and try to get
this building to 100%, creating a zero carbon, zero fossil fuel building right at 28th and
Allegheny. Mr. Floyd, can you please describe the standard amenities proposed for each apartment?
Our buildings have been consistent, which are natural bamboo flooring. Again, not using hardwood
flooring which cuts down trees all of the apartments would be
high quality nail down bamboo flooring high efficiency energy efficient windows
high energy efficient central air and heating
granite countertops recessed lights ceiling fans to reduce air conditioning
full bathrooms and we're normally some version of a marble tile
Again, granite countertops, and a very luxurious feel to the property.
Commercial glass entrance doors, intercom buzzers, security cameras.
That's really like the feel of the building.
Very modern coloring and schemes and very natural feelings of the property.
Thank you.
Mr. Floyd, the current proposal includes waste management in context of an apartment building. Could you please describe that?
Well, one of the things that was asked of us when our first refusal was to articulate and define an area for refuse for this building.
And so part of our staircase moving, which was originally blocking the commercial entrance doors from the first floor, was a two purpose.
was a two-purpose. One, that the commercial space would be clearly visible and accessible to the
One, that the commercial space would be clearly.
street. The second part is also to create a place in a way for us to contain the refuse
fence in the front of the property, also not make them very visible and allow us the way to be able
to put them in the fencing and chain them without being an obstruction and also still
maintain the curb appeal of the property and so part of the trash and refuge storage here
will be underneath the grand entrance to the right and then adjacent to it to the left of it
Mr. Floyd describe your management plan going forward
property management or trash management I'm sorry property management
so i someone else speaking
in reference to property management i first disclosed that i am a pennsylvania and new
jersey licensed real estate broker i'm also a part of the association so i'm there for a realtor
and of course being as a licensed real estate broker for the last 10 years license sales for
15 for the state of Pennsylvania and a realtor. I adhere to the highest code of conduct, ethics,
management, training, and retraining biannually for the state of Pennsylvania.
We own a sales and rental management company. And this, as I am part half of 50% owner of this,
my full-time 100% company that does property management will be managing this particular
property and all the tenants and including the commercial tenant. So very experienced
and legal professional management. Mr. Floyd, please describe the parking in the area.
I'll preface this by saying that this area is a high density mixed residential commercial area
and the parking in the area is is congested specifically this parcel which actually is only
a row of four properties, which is then connected to a commercial outfit, which actually is
the closed off street of 28th Street.
But our particular row is four properties and with commercial on the bottom, residential
upstairs.
In reference to the parking in front of these four parcels, I believe it was because of
the funeral home being there before.
it's a the entire stretch is a no no parking sign and so the entire lane in front of the four
parcels on west allegheny are always open and that lane is open across the street is the technical
school the catholic technical school and a church and that entire two block stretch is also a no
parking during school hours, except for, I believe, school visits or students coming in or pickup
drop-offs. And that really makes up the main block of parking. It essentially creates a pickup drop-off
area in front of our parcel and our adjacent property parcels. On the side streets and rear
are all one-way streets with one lane, one directional traffic, and those blocks appear
to have a congested parking on those blocks. This seems to have been a neighborhood created
to be a walkable area. It's also two blocks up from the SEPTA bus depot, which is only
at 27th and Allegheny through 26th and Allegheny and the bus stop actually one of the bus stops is
four or five doors down from our parcel but it does not stop directly in front of our parcel
our front of our parcel I think right now you're showing where the white vehicle is is that
pickup drop-off lane and then the bike lane and then the Allegheny traffic
the photos I'm referencing right now on the in the packet start on page 61
If you wish to look at them yourself. The second one where it says 27th Street, the large building there is the SEPTA station.
if you wish to look at them yourself the second one where it says 27
This building is the school across the street from the subject property.
and then that's a view down to the church which is next door to the school
the referenced closed off street you'll see the photo there with the two red lines one above one
below that would be the subject property the front right now as it currently exists
and if you look straight down the center that is where um the street is closed off
with the commercial neighbor behind that it's completely blocked off and gated
the following photo is newkirk street which goes down the side of the block
the next photo shows uh very clearly how the center stairs block off the commercial
entrance area well hide it from view they don't block it off but they hide it from view
and then this the view after that is the view down behind the building if you're standing on
Newkirk Street. The following two views are the back of the building and as
previously noted on the last photo there's a bump out on the 2805 side of
the building the proposed decks for the second and third floors of the 2803 side
of the building would be even with that bump out and of course there would be a
deck for the second and third floor above that bump-out board members I
believe that concludes the majority of our testimony for today it is our
believe that the proposals are de minimis they do maintain the character of the community
they do address the community needs for affordable housing in the area which has become
a stark issue not just in this neighborhood but in many neighborhoods in philadelphia
and they do maintain a respectable and high quality of living
i open the floor to questions thank you but before we begin i just want the record to reflect that
board member james snell has been on this call for about 20 minutes maybe even a little bit
longer than that so let the board the record reflect that he's in attendance as well
uh questions from the board no no no
planning commission
yes um both um 2803 2805 west allegheny are indicated for commercial mixed juice on the
City plan. We support the granting of the daycare center special exception and have