that's the apartment building on south street um address but this is on cater street much higher
than 38 street uh 38 feet high and then this is the one as well uh to the right of us um which
also is much higher uh than the 38 feet allowed this is the existing courtyard so um hasam is
going to live in one of the there are basically two single family structures with with you know
commercial component one of them he's living in the single family structure um on uh on cater
street him and his wife uh with a garage and then maybe or maybe not the commercial space may be
used by their daughter for you know some type of craft crafting of some sort um with a commercial
business but anyway it's really important to him that the courtyard is pretty so this is what it
looks like now right and then you'll see from the drawings um about like what that's going to look
like as well here's the massing um it's i i also have um matt uh from gnome architecture if he wants
to interject with questions if there are any answers that we need from an architectural
standpoint. But these are just the renderings. These are the materials that are being used
But these are just the renderings. These are the materials that are being used to kind of mix well with what that building structure is currently on Bainbridge Street, as well within the neighborhood as well.
to kind of mix well.
And then the same thing from the Cater Street perspective, kind of mixing well, but also from a massing point of view, you can see our massing kind of runs in line with the massing in the neighborhood.
This is why you, Hazem, you drew this, right?
We have an architect.
okay okay i thought i thought i talked to matt and i was like you should have taken it right
i i asked matt i said i i asked i asked matt from no more architecture i was like who drew this
it's pretty though yeah but but he's really into landscaping and and the in the courtyard area so
i thought you drew i was like wow um but it's very pretty and it's it's repurposing a lot what's
already there. And then this is just a site plan here. And then you can see from here from the
elevations of what we're doing for each property. Again, Cater Street, we're adding two stories with
a roof deck access structure. And the reason why we're getting the extreme height under the code
is because our roof deck access structure is not five feet off from the rear, but we're not really
causing any issues with light and air because of this common courtyard area. So that's because
we're both, you know, we're both properties kind of mimicking each other. And then the
surrounding properties are of the same height anyway. And then these are just our floor plans
for Bainbridge Street. Again, Bainbridge Street has a commercial component right here, first floor
and lower level. You go up a flight of steps, you have an open floor plan of a kitchen, dining room,
two bedrooms two bathrooms washer and dryer and then there's a primary suite and then there's a
roof deck that's building a building b which is on cater street we're adding two stories here
repurposing the garage area that's right there currently you go up a flight of steps and you
have a floor open floor plan of a living room dining room and kitchen you have two bedrooms
two bats and then you have a primary suite on the fourth level as well as a roof deck area
met with the community proof of mailing and emailing of that community notice
our application for appeal that we filed on their behalf to the zba along with the notice of refusal
and the project information form the deed to the property they own it in their personal names
they're not developers but this is a you know property that we want to revitalize and they
want to live in one of the properties or building structures, and we'll see what happens to the other
one that they fix up. And then finally, the certificate of tax clearance. That being said,
I would stop sharing my screen. I would ask that my client be sworn in. Hi, sir. Could you please
state your name and spell for the stenographer? Hazem, H-A-D-E-M-A-R-E. That's name Halak, H-A-L-L-A-K.
excuse me can i ask witness to get closer we'll do it mr kelly we'll take care of it do me a favor
just get a little bit closer to the mic or pull the mic towards you do it again first name is
hazen h-a-z-e-m as in mary last name is halak h-a-l-l-a-k do you swear or affirm to tell
the truth the whole truth nothing but the truth yes please proceed counsel uh yes uh you heard
everything i had to state today about your zoning matter yes is it true and correct yes and do you
adopt it as your own testimony yes thank you and how in the garage is already there it is yes yes
mr chair it is all right questions from the board
yes what's happening on the in the first unit on that first floor that was sort of open before you
got to the primary living room it didn't look like there was anything programmatically designated
on the plan is that just general open space uh let me just go back to the floor plans
and building a or building b i think it was building a because it was the first one that
you that was like a little porch there was that no that building a has a commercial space so
basically you get into the common uh door and to left you come into the but i just want to make
sure i stay in it right building is the one off the yeah yeah so this is the commercial space
right here okay where's the entrance for the residence so you have a common doorway right
here a little gatsubule area make a left for commercial go up a lot of steps for residential
okay and then building b is entering only on catered street that that is correct okay
And that's right here.
and that's right here i just needed to clarify that questions from our attorney
I just needed to clarify that.
Questions from our attorney.
I have one quick question, Chair.
So the RCO wanted a proviso for no limited lodging.
Are your client okay with that?
I mean, I don't know how enforceable it is, because if we wanted limited lodging, we would have to come back to the board.
Right, I didn't understand that myself.
Just to clarify on that, so short-term rentals can either be visitor or limited lodging.
Limited lodging is an accessory use.
so you wouldn't have to come back visitor accommodations would require a variant
no you're right so yeah so that's that's they ask for no short-term rentals but we can't really say
no to use that's not before the board but an accessory use that would not come before the
board we can man we can limit that has um do you have any issue like having a restriction
on your property absolutely no we're not gonna vent it and i'm gonna you know it's it's ours
Well, we'll have that for another day about renting, but limited lodging means that you can rent it day by day, and that's what they want to restrict you on. You're okay with that?
Oh, yeah, absolutely. Of course.
Questions or comments from the virtual audience or the present audience?
Planning Commission.
Good afternoon, Chair.
the planning the comprehensive plan recommends no change in the zoning at this location from the
current cmx2 commercial mixed use the proposal for parking access from cater street isn't it
is as an existing condition for building b the proposed height crease increase for building a
facing baybridge street is de minimis however the appellant has not demonstrated that there
are unique physical conditions or circumstances that would prevent building b from conforming
the required height the planning commission recommends the board grant the requested
variance for height on building a and parking for building b but deny the requested variance
for height on building b and i just briefly sure uh so the the property that's next to us on bain
bridge also goes completely street to street on cater street which has the same similar roof line
so again if it's appropriate on for the bainbridge side it would be appropriate on the cater street
side. Also, there's an apartment building across the street, which also has that same type of
massing. And so for those reasons, I think it is in character with the neighborhood. Thank you.
So MI 2025, 000449517 Bainbridge Street, I vote yes, with proviso, no limited lodging.
Michael Johns, my vote is yes, with proviso.
Cheryl Gaston, my vote is yes, with proviso.
Samantha Graham, my vote is yes, with proviso.
Eowyn, my vote is yes with Proviso.
Shemel Shaheed, my vote is yes with Proviso.
Thank you.
And thank you for accommodating my schedule.
Thank you.
Number five.
On my 2024-006-733-4045 to 61 Main Street.
Adam Blaver is the attorney.
This is a resumptive hearing.
um so um
mr labor i uh i i labor i try to uh give a little background but i mean there's numerous letters we
have here uh the councilman jones has written a letter talking about walking the site um
um many many special services the development corporation parcel city light church parkway
on and on there is also uh i count at least four letters of opposition
so that's just a little bit of a background of uh the interest that's in in this uh matter um
and so this is this is what we'd like to do today we'd like you to finish your presentation
and then we're going to go to questions from the board and the council and then we're going to have
as you know mr hunter as you're aware send in a recording we will listen to the recording
we will take other public testimony and we'll also go to the planning commission
So do you agree with that?
Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman, members of the board.
I'm prepared to proceed as the board has suggested.
I would like to address the board decision regarding Mr. Hunter's testimony in due course.
So why don't you go through first, and then before we get to that, I'll give you an opportunity.
i'll give you an opportunity and um if we do have his testimony you will have a chance to respond
And if we do have.
to it okay so why don't we go thank you um for the record uh adam laver of a blank room on behalf
of 40 45 did i swear you in i don't believe that you did oh my goodness so why don't you just state
your name is spelled for the stenographer. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Adam Laver, L-A-V-E-S-V-E-T-R-E-R.
Right. Do you swear or affirm and tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
Yes, Mr. Chairman, I do. Thank you very much. Blancrom represents 4045 Main Street, LLC,
equitable owner of the subject property. Chairman Bergman, as you mentioned, this is a resumption
hearing, but we go back seven weeks, actually, which is difficult, no doubt, for all of us.
The 4045 Main Street LLC is the equitable owner of the subject property. As a refresher up on the
screen is a conceptual rendering of what has been discussed at length with the board, just to have
that for the board and for the public as I'm speaking. The equitable ownership is an urban
conversions entity. Andrew Zakroff, who is a vice president of acquisitions and development, is with
us virtually in the virtual hearing room. Also rejoining us this afternoon are cousins Robert
and David Littlewood, fifth generation members of the family business G.J. Littlewood and Sons,
the owners of the property and when we last appeared before the board members you'll recall
that we presented an overview of significant challenges at the subject property we presented
proposed plans that we believe will positively transform and reinvigorate this area of main
street in line with the council members vision and we had also respectfully suggested in line
with the parker administration's goal of bringing housing to philadelphia we presented a substantive
analysis of the grounds for seeking relief before this board which i shall not repeat
also returning to the virtual hearing room out of respect for for the board and all parties involved
are several members of the project team which include mbe and wbe philadelphia-based partners
and uh trying to advance the screen there we go this is the subject property as it exists today
and board members you'll recall that hurricane ida had left the gj littlewood and sons uh dye
factory which had existed since the civil war deserted uh unfortunately it's located at the
very edge of the money on historic district that chores lane to the left in the foreground.
And this, I think all parties, even the minority that is in disagreement with what we're proposing,
but all parties recognize the need for reactivation.
The coordinating RCO money on neighborhood council noted, quote, this is a challenging
property and the property faces a hardship and that it cannot be developed as other
properties can outside of the floodplain, even including the immediately adjacent property just
beyond On Shores Lane, which is not in the floodplain. Very significant distinction,
not to mention the rock outcrops that create a steep slope. And you see the steepness of the
site even in this photograph. This site requires a developer with experience, with vision,
urban conversions, I would respectfully suggest, is that developer. And it is a local developer.
It's not just a Philadelphia developer, but as we stated in the record, one that is experienced
in Maniunk and the surrounding area. We stand before you today after multiple public meetings
in which interested parties have had the opportunity to add their voices. Philadelphia
historical commission meetings and their surrounding community meetings around that
architectural meetings the hardship committee which resulted in full approvals and consideration
not to mention civic design review of course the plans before the board have been refined
and updated over the course of many months resulting in a reduction in density increase
in proposed accessory parking refinement of the proposed massing based on rco and cdr
and philadelphia historical commission feedback there's a setback on the proposed seventh floor
variety of surfaces and heights district council member jones has personally reviewed the proposal
District Council Member Jones has personally reviewed the proposal, has been out to the site, and notes that this would further his, quote, vision for revitalized Main Street, end quote, noting, quote, the scope and scale of the proposed development is appropriate in light of several site constraints.
has been out of this
Here is another conceptual rendering that shows the proposed seven-story flood-resilient, state-of-the-art, responsibly-built residential building designed by Philadelphia architectural firm CBP Architects to include, as you'll recall, 163 residential dwelling units, accessory parking for 161 automobiles on floors one through two.
Remember on floor one with the flooding, the flood concerns, it is not a place for human habitation. This is responsible development. We want to be the model, actually, for development along the water.
Or do we want to make a policy position and say, we're going to have vacant swaths of land throughout our city? People love to be by the water. It can be responsibly done. It's done in so many other world-class cities. Philadelphia deserves no less.
When we last met seven weeks ago, we heard expert testimony from Eric Layden of CBP Architects, Robert Wright of Bowman Engineering Traffic Planners, and Kevin Flynn, AKRP Flood Resiliency Experts.
Why do we have this robust team of experts?
Because the project, the site, really requires it.
It needs it.
This is not overkill.
It is because we're taking this seriously.
so we are grateful for the chance to be before you today in this resumption hearing the subject
property is severely challenged in multiple respects urban urban conversion seeks guidance
in best practices that exceed various code requirements benjamin cromey managing planner
of ch planning if you could please promote him to panelists benjamin cromey cromie land planner
who has appeared before this board previously has reviewed the proposed development and has
submitted a professional planning report. I would like to ask Mr. Cromey to please
raise your virtual hands, sir, to be recognized by Chairman Bergman and to present highlights
as quickly as possible of your analysis, please.
Benjamin Cromey is coming back in as a panelist now. Thank you. Thank you.
Hello, this is Benjamin Cromey. Sir, could you please state your name again and then spell for
the stenographer, please. Yes, Benjamin Cromey, B-E-N-J-A-M-I-N-C-R-O-M, as in Mike, I-E.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
I do. Please proceed, counsel. Thank you, Chairman Bergman. Good afternoon, Mr. Cromey. Thank you for
being available this afternoon. In the interest of time, you have submitted a comprehensive
of land planning analysis. You've appeared before this board. Would you please, sir,
speak to the highlights, the executive summary, if you will, of your findings having reviewed this
property? Well, in the report that I submitted, I did directly address each of the criteria for
approval. I'm not going to go through every single one right now, just so I hit the highlights.
As we've discussed, the denial of the requested variance relief would result in unnecessary hardship.
The I-2, as of right, uses are wholly incompatible with the historic district.
They're not viable due to being in the floodplain.