permits to build this structure?
To be honest, I didn't
build it. I bought it like that, already built.
I finished it.
That was my first property.
So you
tell me what it looked like when you bought it.
it was already
was there electric in the building yet yes you didn't you didn't put the electric in the electric
was there i finished i finished the electric and the plumbing the same way you finished plumbing
yes yes finished the heating and air conditioning yes okay all right questions from the board
chairman can you get closer to the mic questions from the board so so uh can you go back to the
floor plans sure and um so this remember john before you answer the uh ask a question i just
want to let you know our firm created these floor plans so i understand i understand alan i know i
I know, I know your floor plans by now.
I just want to know, because I know-
This one is actually,
this actually one is a little more readable than most, but-
Getting better.
But so, yeah, yeah.
So this project is not unlike another project
that we saw not that long ago,
where the property was built right to the property line
with a window on it that had that that window was part of a bedroom so there
was an issue around egress right on the property line it's it's very problematic
in that it goes completely to the property line even though I mean the
first floor is just storage so it is what it is on the first floor but having
a bedroom and no no separation from the property line although it's an alley
having no separation no no rear rear space behind that window is very problematic um for me so this
is uh an issue so i will say this and and we and i know which case you're referencing that we
handled before i i you know i asked the architect and because i stated this could be an issue uh and
he stated the difference with this case in the previous case is that um the previous case there
was no alley so we were landlocked and so when we had openings on the party wall or i guess the back
of it or maybe there was the side actually i think it was the side it was a party wall side
yeah this one is in the rear on the second floor where there's an alley and i asked and i said well
we can get this approved but what happens from a when we go in front of you know l and i again
from a building code perspective the architect told us that there should be no issue again i
The architect told us that there should be no issue.
Again, I brought that up.
I specifically asked that question because I don't want to have a situation where we get approval for something where it can't work out.
And the architect was insistent that this is a legal use based on the Philadelphia Code.
Are there steps coming from that bedroom from the second floor down?
No, that's true.
but there's there's a flight of steps it's internal staircase right here external on the
outside but there is no no but that doesn't go through the alley if there's if you have to jump
into the alley i mean like that's kind of what you're what you're saying right you got to jump
out the window that's still problematic not to have a separation between your property line and
i mean we had another issue just like this with another property i saw that uh where they didn't
have their their proper rear yard uh uh depth so it's the same sort of issue i saw that the same
type of design with with uh miss three right i think that was i believe so yeah so we look at
that too and yeah so yeah so all the questions questions or comments more attorney not at this
questions or comments from the virtual audience
yeah chair i do not see any hands raised
um planning commission nina solomonic the planning commission the comprehensive plan
recommends no change to the existing rsa5 residential single family zoning there are
no unique circumstances or physical conditions that would prevent it from being used in strict
conformance with the zoning code the planning commission recommends the board deny the request
variance for minimum yard depth and maximum occupied area so i i'm always inclined to
defer to the board if the board has concerns i i think it would be better to know now than with a
vote so sorry good no i was going to say like is there a way that even leading to the alley that
there's uh another door in on the first floor coming out the back where that's i know we will
go right to the alley but if that's what the board by the way to get out of the first floor
yeah besides the front door right that's that's correct board member graham so i think
i really want to have some conversation with the board i mean you know we get decks that are built
But this is a whole house built.
And I appreciate you getting the engineering and all that.
But, I mean, this whole thing was done with no oversight, no anything.
And I think I'd like to sit and talk to the board.
Put on this on the 8 at 2 p.m.
Thank you.
All right?
I mean, but I just think we just got to figure out where we want to be with this.
Thank you.
Thank you.
And thank you.
And I'm still here for the 330 list, F1.
You got one at 330?
I have Folsom. I think there's people anxiously waiting to get up here.
number number nine mi 2026 000 865 3500 to 40 uh palton avenue um andrea solomon is the attorney
I see the RCO has a non-opposition letter.
Good afternoon. I'm just joining as panelists.
Okay. Why don't you just state your name right now and spell it, and we'll get started as soon as you get in.
Good afternoon, Andrea Solomon, Claire Harrison, Harvey Brandsburg, A-N-D-R-E-A-S-A-L-O-M-O-N.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Our vice chair has a few questions.
Good afternoon.
Have you submitted your documents and exhibits five days in advance of this hearing?
We have.
And do you waive the reading of the refusal and stipulate to its accuracy?
Okay, thank you.
You can share your screen and proceed.
Thank you.
Again, good afternoon.
My name is Andrea Solomon.
I'm here on behalf of the owner, Carriage House Owner LLC, the owner of the subject property
3,500 to 40 Powleton Ave, commonly known as the Carriage House.
It's a historic building, and this application is for the reconfiguration of the existing
units to return it back to a prior configuration, its original configuration, and add an additional
and add an additional nine units where there are now two bedroom units as chairman bergman stated
nine units where there are now two-bedroom units.
we have a letter of non-opposition with our co we met with them back in march this is a property
that the community is very proud of as are the owners they're how they're proud to be stewards
of this historic property and we've worked with them on property maintenance and addressed any
concerns that that they've brought on of maintaining this historic property
here's an aerial image of of the carriage house it fronts uh 35th palton ave and 36th street
it's zoned rm1 and we received the refusal due to the the law area it already is non-conforming
It currently has 165 units, and we're split, again, taking down, in a prior reconfiguration, partition walls were put up, were taken down to make two-bedroom units, and we're reconfiguring it, returning it back to its original configuration.
The units have the existing plumbing, electric for kitchens and bathrooms. They're all two bedroom, two baths.
Some photos of the subject property. A lot of the units have already been renovated, and this is what the renovated units now look like.
um the project architect is with us here as well calvin benoy and we're happy to go through the
floor plans of the board wishes to uh show the reconfiguration back to the one bedrooms and
studios from the two bedrooms how many units right now before you do 165 right where do you want to
be at 174 okay so again there's nine two-bedroom units that we're splitting
back to where they were so yes we're happy to go through the the floor plans here the zoning
archives showing that at one point it had a higher number of units 172 178 we're only
reconfiguring nine of them to get to the 174 and with that I'm we're happy to
I'll ask that Dove and the ownership team be sworn in so that they can adopt my testimony
okay Dove Goldschmidt is here with me today make sure that and if you would pull it closely
you and my name is dove goldschmidt right could you spell it please for the stenographer d-o-v
g-o-l-d-s-c-h-m-i-d-t do you swear or affirm to tell the truth the whole truth nothing but the
truth yes counsel dove can you just briefly state your relationship to the carriage house owner llc
so i'm one of the owners on behalf of chevron properties we own this property we bought it
it in november of 2024 um it's a historic property we've invested a significant amount of
capital to renovate the units was really a property that was slowly falling into despair
we completely renovated the amenity space in the front of the building on the on the 3600 street
side and you know we're excited about this project and then when we came in to to do the renovations
a number of these two bedroom units had the original stubs when we demoed them and it made
more sense to have them there was a kind of a weird layout for two bedrooms and it felt much
more natural to have them as one bedrooms so we wanted to go that route and you saw the my
presentation is it true and accurate to to your knowledge yes and do you adopt it as your own
testimony. I adopt it. Thank you. Do you think you should do the floor plan to at least say
where you're making the change? Sure, absolutely. So I'll ask Calvin also be sworn in so that he
can walk. Why don't he come up? Calvin Vinoy. Could you please state your name and spell
what it's not yes sorry calvin uh aia c-a-l-v-i-n b as in victor a-n-n-o-y all right do you swear or
affirm to tell the truth the whole truth nothing but the truth i do counsel calvin uh do you want
to just uh walk through these floor plans the presentation your office prepared and talk about
talk about the division sure do you want to go to the enlarged floor plan so we can see
the division sure do you want to go to the enlarged floor plan
them a little bit better i think that there there's either four or five distinct floor
plans in this presentation where we are showing a split um yeah if you can scroll down to the
uh so here we're showing an RC uh a ceiling plan a um sorry having trouble navigating it
uh so yeah uh the two plans here are the existing plan on the right with the proposed demolition
in dotted lines of the entry door which you can see kind of in the middle there and then
Then other doors and closets throughout and renovations of a bathroom that's being converted into two units which are on the left the plan on the left.
Those entry doors are the original locations those kitchens are the original locations as bathrooms are the original locations.
and you know I think it is a much more natural floor plan because it was the original floor plan
we're not converting a kitchen location into a closet we're not you know it feels like a better
flow throughout and so yeah yeah so there are a couple of configurations but they all are
similar in that they are two bedrooms the existing two bedrooms that were once converted from
one bedroom apartments is that right that's correct yeah one bedrooms or sometimes they
were studios I'm not sure if anything's helpful but I think it'd be helpful if you said this is
why we're doing it I haven't heard that yeah like you know I mean like why are we putting
nine more units and i i don't i'm not sure the answer yeah one is the natural flow of the spaces
they're a little bit awkward in the configuration i think also in this neighborhood and um dove or
gershon i'm sure you can speak to this uh there's there's just more of a market for one bedroom
units than the two bedrooms okay all right uh anything else you want to present well we're
happy to take any other questions from the board uh questions from the board so when you get done
with this there will still be some two-bedroom units or how is this going to work or what's
going to be the breakdown how many two bedrooms how many one bedrooms how many studios this is
the existing mix right now with the 165 so there still will be a total of 21 two-bedroom units
where there are now 30 okay we have to make this a little bit bigger oh absolutely okay
gotcha okay all right thank you all the questions
no questions at this time to get a chance to ask your question right questions or comments
from the virtual audience chair i do not see any hands raised um planning commission
you know solomonic with the planning commission the concert comprehensive plan recommends no
change to the existing rm1 residential multi-family zoning the proposed use is consistent with the
documented prior approvals at this property the city planning commission recommends that the
zoning board grant the variance for 174 units mi 2026 000 865 3500 to 40 palton avenue i vote yes
michael johnson my vote is yes
cheryl gaster my vote is yes
tennetta graham my vote is yes
ryan mcadams my vote is yes
thank you very much have a great afternoon
take a break yeah we're going to take a five minute break
good afternoon everyone we're back
So number 10, MI 2026, 000872, 3949 to 63 North 7th Street.
Rachel Pritzker is the attorney.
that we're coming back in this panel control mr chair thank you
good afternoon or i guess good evening yeah yeah you know what well yeah i'll call we're
gonna call it a evening almost all right could you please state your name and spell for the
historiographer? Yes. Rachel, R-A-C-H-A-E-L, Pritzker, P-R-I-T-Z-K-E-R. Do you swear or affirm
to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth? Yes. Counselor, could you identify
your client in relationship to the property? Yes. My client is the property owner. It's the
Pennsylvania Conference Association of Seventh-Day Adventists, Inc. And our vice chair has a few
questions good evening have you submitted your documents and exhibits five days in advance of
this hearing yes and do you waive the reading of the refusal and stipulate to its accuracy
yes i think you can share your screen up a seat thank you i see esperanza gave you a letter of
support and also uh non-opposition from councilwoman lozada yes can you see my screen um yeah we see
now yeah that was it great okay so this is um 39 49 to 63 north 7th street this is the refusal
the proposal here is for five family multi-family household living on an existing in an existing
structure with previously existing uses as previously approved there is a large active
church on the property and service parking as well the property is zoned cmx2 so the only use
refusal we have is for not providing ground floor commercial on the ground floor of the
one of the existing structures that were have the five units in it's the application for appeal