And again, the community voted in support of this project despite his individual concerns.
um so the the notion that this is and that i don't think anyone on this call said this but
i'm just going to say this is this is not a a rush job this is not a a a situation where we
haven't engaged with the community as i've said we've engaged uh this application has been pending
since january um and we proactively reached out initially um even when there wasn't a hearing
scheduled um and then after there was a hearing scheduled we we didn't have any pushback to mr
jordan said the first meeting didn't count but there were over 30 people on that call we did
send out uh their their the physical notices to um over you know every every home in the 250 foot
radius now my i think there might have been an email left off of a uh email that was sent uh
or something of that nature um and as such there was no pushback against holding the second one
once we were aware of that um and then at that second meeting although there was again there was
more robust discussion there was over 20 more people or 22 more people that attended um the
vote still bore out where the majority of the people on the call voted yes not yes with changes
the majority voted yes um and subsequent to that uh we were open to conversation we were originally
hesitant because we didn't understand what the subsequent conference call was about but we ended
up having that call we heard their concerns we asked them to submit or to send us some items
we looked at them and we responded with what we can do and what we can't do um and that was
That was, I believe, on the 20th, and then we, or I wasn't aware that they were going to be requesting the continuance until yesterday afternoon.
I believe on the 20th
and then
So my assumption is because they, some of the representatives, or if not all of them, were not happy with some of the responses, but the response on the massing is not going to change in 30 days.
That's something that's essential to what we believe is an important space for something like this to succeed, partly because Mr. Smith's background, which he didn't get into, so I don't want to testify for him, in other co-working environments, he has experience to know sort of what works and what doesn't and how much space you actually need.
to be frank uh uh members of the board and mr chairman if we didn't think it was important we
wouldn't be here because all the uses we're proposing are allowable by right so we could
you know we could put this type of use in a i guess a 38 foot building but because we don't
think that's going to be successful uh that's not something we're trying to do and we're trying to
make this a successful beacon. I should also state that it was mentioned a few times that
this is something that can change the fabric of 52nd Street. That is the intention. The intention
is to change 52nd Street for the positive in a way that'll benefit it. We believe that going in
a new direction with 52nd Street is essential. It's not something that we can do ourselves,
which is why we want to work with the community groups that are both established and the newer ones with the younger people,
because our vision is to be partnering with entrepreneurs and people who want to sort of build an economy in the 21st century economy, as Mr. Smith would say.
But so, again, while we're sympathetic to the idea of change and the idea of the size of the building, we do believe it's a net positive.
We believe it's in line with the goals and the concerns of the 2035 plan that was developed by the city and other community stakeholders for that area.
and so because of that we're asking that the board support these two dimensional
variance requests that would allow us to put what the overarching and more important issue
is the use of that in the of that building to make it possible okay can i ask you a question
frank can i ask yes please i'm just going to ask okay do you do you think if we
further delay this project it would present a hardship to you to the development of it
i'm sorry can you say that you're i'm sorry you're breaking up quite
if we further delay the project would it cause a delay upon the development of the project
well our position is and we believe this to be fact that um the project would be severely
prejudiced um because as we stated the applicant we filed the application in january the refusal
was issued in december now some of that is to no one's fault obviously some of that is to the um
due to the covid pandemic but it is the reality the reality is that we've been delayed substantially
and therefore um things such as financing things such as um the uh neighborhood opportunity zones
things such as the abatement that were all part of the sort of uh sort of the makeup of the project
the financial wherewithal in the capital stack and things of that nature um all of that's at risk
I mean, it's currently at risk, even if we were able to get the July 15th hearing, but now we're so far down the line that it's putting the project in jeopardy.
And I don't want to speak for a misregard, and Mr. Wren or Mr. Smith can speak to this, but my understanding is that this continues to get delayed as much as it has been that the project may go away, that the livelihood of the project may go away.
okay anyone else wish to testify please raise your hand
and if something new and different if you are if you want to speak please give us something new
and different here we have jason jason you're going to meet yourself and wait to be sworn in
Jason? Jason, you're going to meet yourself and wait to be sworn in.
Jason, please identify yourself first and last name and your address.
Jason Coles, last name C-O-L-E-S, address is 4815 Locust Street.
4815 Locust Street, okay. You're quite a distance away. Do you swear and affirm to tell the truth,
the whole truth and nothing but the truth? Yes, I do. I'm right next to the old West
Foley High, so only a couple blocks from 52nd. Yeah, I'm somewhat familiar. Okay.
Okay. Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman, board members. I'm a resident who lives in the
neighborhood area, but not only am I a resident, I'm also a business owner. My company,
Katika, is a technology startup started right here in my apartment. We're a platform that
helps people find local Black-owned businesses and services. We also create
community events which provide important local dollars to our businesses.
Recently we partnered with the Department of Commerce, the African American
Chamber of Commerce, and the Urban League to host the first-ever curbside
restaurant week back in July. Now today's discussion about the rezoning of the
52nd Street property is important because it allows small startups like
mine to be able to move out of an apartment and into low-cost shared
office space where businesses like myself can continue to grow and hire
locally. Other expensive workspaces like WeWork are downtown and not in small
neighborhoods. This proposed project keeps small businesses like mine in
West Philadelphia. And I want to make it clear that this isn't a redundancy of
any services that are currently offered in our community as previously
suggested in other calls that I've been a part of. In a commercial corridor where
building where this building is proposed yes it will be larger than the small corner store it's
next to or the residential home but that's why it's a commercial corridor. So with that said as
a local resident and a local business owner I'm strongly in favor of the zoning change and ask
the board to consider the approval of the variance requests because further delays will only result
in a continuous loop of getting nothing done. If you want to revitalize the corridor and take action
being bold and having division we can't be afraid because delaying is the same as doing nothing
thank you thank you what what's the name of your company again katika k-a-t-i-k-a
okay thank you very much for your testimony anyone else
chair that's all at this time questions from the board uh not a question no
i have a comment please i think the massing of the building is like a anchor store in a shopping
center it's big and bold but it can attract uh the community that's all uh mr chairman thank you
um i'm going to make a recommendation i i i think this is a great project i think it's going to do
great things for that community my sense is there's still some issues on the community benefits
uh we're not going to myself and the board aren't going to web uh debate that we're going to give
you some time i'm going to ask that we hold this hearing resume this hearing on october the 7th
I think we have a special, Tanya, on the 7th of October.
We actually have it on the 6th, Chair.
Okay, then.
I'm going to suggest we resume this hearing on October the 6th at 10 a.m.
At 9.30 a.m., at which time we'll consider any feedback related to the RCO's position.
and it will that will be uh one way no more continuance after that that that's the final
date mr sherman could i ask that the you said october 6th is that correct yes can i ask that
the october 6th special hearing be limited to the issues that were discussed at this hearing and
that we closed the record or are we having a full-on you know additional testimony from outside
it'll be limited to just testimony from the rco about their position and most likely i assume
it'll have to do more with the community benefits agreement okay understood okay all right
uh planning commission i'm sorry i didn't mean to interrupt can i can i also accept that hearing
the mark must be tried yes
this is paula burn
This is Paula Burns with the Planning Commission.
This property is recommended for commercial use on the comprehensive plan.
This site is in close proximity to the Market Frankfurt L 52nd Street stop.
While we have no objection to the density of the building, we would recommend that the
applicant work at reducing the overall height of the building or amend the plan to include
the bonus elements that would have permitted additional height through the zoning code.
this is Sharon Saleta can I add that a must be tried or must be heard isn't appropriate in this
circumstance where the majority of the hearing has been held we're simply allowing additional
community feedback and was Paula sworn in I'm sorry I'm sorry what's that Tanya I just wonder
was paula sworn in no that's what's getting ready to thank you paula you swear for him to tell the
truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth i do you already gave your testimony i think mr
patel uh she there was a lot of good advice that was just given you by the planning commission
to take into consideration which could be beneficial all the way for everyone
understood and i'm sure if you need any further information miss brumbella will be
more than happy to assist you absolutely all right so can i just ask for a clarification i think uh
uh sharon stated that the must be tried was not uh appropriate um i just want to make sure we're
on the record of i'm not sure how to characterize it but i want to make sure that it is not
we can prevent another continuance um for this matter as i said uh it's been going on since
december of last year i'm really need to um get to a point uh because we could have continued
discussions but at a certain point the project's going just going to go away before sharon answers
i i recognize that i understand the clock is ticking i'm very familiar with the 10-year tax
abatement how that plays into the financing of these types of projects so i'm not one to
to belabor this any longer than october the 6th sherry i was only going to say that the must be
tried is usually used to require the applicant to go forward and to allow the board to dismiss
the appeal if the applicant is not ready in this case that that wouldn't apply
okay okay okay Mr. Bertil Bertil yes I don't have any uh further testimony or witnesses
okay thank you uh any outstanding uh issues uh Sharon and or Tanya no chair okay uh see everyone
the executive session tomorrow morning, 9 o'clock.
You got it. Have a good one, guys.
All righty.
See you.
Take care.
See you. Stay safe.
Oh, Tanya?