So phase one was 13 separate parcels, including these 10.
Then we had 221 South 60th Street, 225 South 60th, and 227, which were also part of phase one.
Those 13 parcels were developed into 30 affordable housing units under the Federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program.
And that project is just being completed as we speak.
The application today is for the remnant portion of the Imperial Ballroom, which I'm circling with my cursor right now, which is, again, fronts on South 60th Street.
And the proposal for that property is to essentially renovate it into another event space, a much smaller event space.
But an event space, nonetheless, that can be used for things like weddings, funerals, parties, neighborhood parties, birthday parties, community meetings, and the like.
So it basically takes the, again, the remnant of the Imperial Ballroom and reestablishes it as an event space.
Then we're also proposing, because that space requires 19 parking spaces under the current zoning code, we're also proposing to take 229 South 60th, which is right across Chancellor Street here.
This is the Imperial Ballroom property.
These are our units, our residential units, Chancellor Street, and then 229 is this parcel right across Chancellor Street.
And we're going to convert that into from a vacant lot, currently a vacant lot, into 19 space for 19 parking spaces.
And those spaces would be available for the Imperial Ballroom and also for the residential units if there was a need.
um so i have two exhibit packets for each i don't know that given the hour that you want me to go
through each one but in those exhibit packets we do have um at exhibit we have the refusals at tab
one in each we have our appeal applications at tab two our deed is included for each property
at tab four. We have a number of photos for the project at tab five. Our plans are at tab eight.
The letters we sent to the community for the RCO meetings are at tab nine.
And then we have the RCO support letters. The first is from the RCO, the third ward executive
committee. We have Councilwoman Gauthier's office, a letter from Mr. Goodman. And then there's also
a letter from the preservation alliance that was issued
with regard to the first phase of the project.
Mr. Kerr, why don't you do this? Why don't you show the photos?
So then we'll understand. Okay, I can do that. Yep.
Let me get to...
waiting for that to load and i'll be there it'll be there momentarily that's fine
the first set of photos are for our zoning notices
this is going very still loading i think so it's a little bit
this is going very still loading I think so it's a little bit slow but I'll
scroll through it
and these are loaded on my screen but for some reason the transfer is not
happening very quickly okay here we go
that's the facade of the imperial ballroom okay
that was shored up um while the demolition and construction happened to
the rear so you do see some some uh support and and some equipment
out there
And I apologize.
Again, I did have this loaded on my screen, but they're not really showing up.
They're taking a while to load.
Why don't you go down a little bit?
Let's see that one there.
These are some photos of the neighborhood.
I apologize. I don't know why
this is so slow.
Neighborhood, am I right?
Yeah, these are some additional photos of the neighborhood.
Let me just go back.
I think I have some photos of the Imperial Ballroom prior.
They're not loaded yet either.
how about let me ask you this you have you have the lot where you're going to put parking
we do have that yes
that's down at the bottom here so let me get these loaded that's too far
Well, is that the neighborhood again, or is that more of a neighborhood?
Again, I apologize.
Let's see if I can, it seems to be moving a little more quickly now.
What's that there, the vacant lot?
That, I don't think that's the vacant lot, but it is in a similar condition.
Let me try something else.
and this is what i was worried about with having two exhibit packs packets i think it's your
computer and that is exhibit packets myself but yeah again they were both they were both opened
on my computer, but for some reason now
they're not transferring into
Zoom for whatever reason quickly.
I think we're getting close.
Okay, this red brick building, that's the lot, just to the right of that.
And I think I have one more just prior to this.
It shows the lot a little, a little better shot of the entire lot.
Okay, so the lot's at 229, am I correct?
229, that's correct. Right across, right at the corner of Chancellor and South 60.
Right. And you're going to put 19 parking places there?
19 parking places, right. And there is a tab 8 of the exhibit packet for 229.
We have a plan that illustrates that.
And you're also in the process of redoing the Imperial Ballroom or the portion.
Correct. Correct. We're going to redo the Imperial Ballroom.
And the Council Member Gauthier has taken a position of support.
Correct.
She appreciates the applicant's willingness to convert 229 into parking to respond to community concerns.
And she also appreciates that if approved, this will pave the way for the former Imperial Ballroom site at long last to become a destination on 63 Commercial Assembly and Entertainment.
use brings comparable activity levels at the property as so we do not believe this to be any
undue burden right and you also had the RCO in support of this am I right that's correct
that's correct yeah we had extensive RCO meetings on on these this project look listen to me bring
on your client and have your testimony adopted okay George are you there George
has he raised his hand George Bantel has been unmuted and allowed to speak
sir could you state your name please and spell for the court stenographer
George Bantel g-e-o-r-g-e b-a-n-t-e-l do you swear or affirm to tell the truth the whole truth
nothing but the truth yes proceed counsel okay george you are a principal in wp re7 correct
correct and have you been on the zoom this afternoon during the uh during my statements
to the board yes and have i accurately characterized everything yes and do you adopt
my statements as your own testimony yes okay questions from the board no mr
Questions or comments from our attorney, Hillary Emerson?
Not at this time, Mr. Chair.
Questions or comments from the virtual audience?
Chair, we have a round of waters.
They have been unmuted and allowed to speak.
Mr. Waters, could you state your name, please, and spell for the court stenographer?
mr waters please unmute yourself
ronald waters my first r-o-n-a-l-d w-a-t-e-r-s right do you swear for him to tell the truth
the whole truth nothing but the truth yes mr chairman are you a neighbor i am proceed sir
all right um i just wanted to um comment on the um that property that you're looking at that's how
that that that vacant lot that you were referring to mr chairman that was how that property looked
before the developer built those 30 units right the property on the on the left of your screen
yes sir yeah uh and he's and he's converted into some really nice nice um livable um quality
livable places for people to access the um imperial ballroom for me i have a lot of history
there that used to be a skating rink um too for for the people in the community when i was young
um a whole lot younger matter of fact and and it was also an event center it has a lot of
possibilities. I look forward to what the developer is going to place there for the community to have
meetings, weddings, repasses, baby showers, and the like. That's why the third board executive
committee, after hearing the plans and having a chance to ask questions and Mr. Bentel's willingness
to make adjustments according to what the feedback was to the community.
But as soon as it is right now, everybody who I've talked to, not everybody, because some people have concerns about parking and those are legitimate concerns.
It seems like this right now, everybody who I've talked to,
not...
But I was happy that he was willing to turn that vacant lot into a parking space so that could help accommodate some of those concerns that came from the community.
So I stand, I just wanted to just say I support the project and I look forward to the benefits that's going to come from having a facility like that on the Citrus Street corridor.
All right, Mr. Waters, thank you very much.
We appreciate your input and thanks for calling in.
Is there anyone else in the virtual audience?
Here, we have a Kyle Sampson.
They have been unmuted and allowed to speak.
Hi, could you state your name, please, and spell for the court stenographer?
My name is Kyle Sampson, K-Y-L-E-S-A-M-P-S-O-N. I'm president of the West Philadelphia Economic Development Council, RCO.
Okay, sir. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
Please proceed, sir.
You had asked Mr. Waters if he was a neighbor. Mr. Waters is not a near neighbor. I wanted to state that.
Next, the coordinating RCO, despite our asking for a vote for the near neighbors, refused to.
Mr. Waters refused to take a vote for the near neighbors.
There was a considerable amount of opposition.
And I think one of the reasons that Mr. Waters did not take a vote is because the developer promised the third ward RCO an office.
And I have a copy of the email.
He promised them an office if they would support the project.
And the last point I wanted to make is that the developer stated to me in an email that they have 23.9% minority contracting, and that's below what the city requires.
I submitted my opposition late, but your office has it.
Mr. Sampson, thanks for calling in.
We appreciate your input.
Is there anyone else in the first audience?
Here, I see no hands at this time.
Planning Commission. This is Ron Bednar, City Planning. First name Ron, R-O-N, last name Bednar, B-E-D-E-N-A-R.
Right. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
I do. Please proceed, sir. So this testimony is for 215th and 19th South 60th and 229th South 60th Street.
These properties are indicated for commercial mixed use on the city plan.
the applicant has shown that the proposed use will have no more of an impact and would be expected
given its uh specific location therefore we recommend that the request for special exception
We're going to vote them both together. MI 2023-002-329-229-South 60th Street. And number four, MI 2023-002-328-215-19-South 60th Street. I vote yes for both.
thomas holloman my vote is yes to vote james snell my vote is yes to both thank you counsel
thank you mr chair thank you members of the board but thank you miss emerson
thank you going on to number five mi 2023 002 323 4727 to 37 north front street
Xen Jin is the attorney.
There's a letter of non-opposition from Council Member Lozada.
And letter of support from the 42nd Democratic Ward with provisos.
Okay, our Zen Jen is coming back in as a panelist now.
Good afternoon.
Good afternoon, Ms. Jen.
Could you state your name, please, and spell for the court stenographer?
Zen Jen, Z-H-E-N-J-I-N, 1617 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Suite 1838, Philadelphia PA 19103,
here on behalf of the applicant.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
Counsel, could you identify your client, the relationship to the property?
Yes, my client is Les Grisevix. He is the owner of the property.
Okay. And Mr. Holloman has just a few questions for you, sir.
Good afternoon, counsel. Do you agree to waive the reading of the refusal and stipulate to his accuracy?
Did you email all of the exhibits and documents as required five days in advance to this hearing?
all of the exhibits and documents as required five days in advance to this hearing?
Yes. Thank you. Please proceed and share your screen. Thank you. I'm going to share with the
board the documentation we previously submitted. Can everyone see my presentation? We can, sir.
Thank you. This is an application for the use of this property as a mechanic shop. I want
to point out to the board an important history of this property is that this is not the first time
that we are before the board on this specific identical application. This was a previously
approved use, but it was on a temporary permit when the board approved it for three years.
After three years of operation, my client has again appeared before the community to ask that
this be extended indefinitely as a permanent use this property is zoned cmx2 however
from the photos it'll be easy to see that there is actually a condition of the property that makes
it hard to be used as a cmx2 property and that is that the entire property one is essentially set up
initially as a warehouse many years ago and is in that condition now it is set back from the street
front and it has bay doors and really no frontage to be used as a kind of a commercial use.
So the property also for the purpose of a mechanic shop use has the advantage of having a lot with
parking space as well as interior space to keep the cars off the street. That was the biggest
concern when we first applied for the temporary permit. There are other mechanic shops nearby
and they have been leaving their cars on the street leading to the community asking for a
temporary permit to make sure our operator and my client, the owner, will make sure that cars are
not parked on the street. And when we went back this time, we did get the community support based
on their observation of the operation for the past three years. And that is really what we're
asking for here is to once again be approved for the same use that it was approved for
some years ago and continue to use it in the same format. I have plans here, which lays out a little
better exactly how the property is set up. Again, all repairs are done inside the building. All
vehicles parked inside the lot. And that is primarily the reason we're here before the board
today is to ask for a renewal of this permit as a permanent use. I'm happy to answer any questions
and redirect the board to any portion of our exhibits.
My client should be here to verify my testimony as well.
Why don't we bring your client one, too?