Number 11, MI-2022, 002166-3811 Lancaster Avenue, Norman Wakes is the listed owner.
Mr. Chair, there's a change in ownership at this location when we got the exhibit, we learned of it.
The owner is now, or the owners, Monique Greenwood and Glenn Hogue, and the case is pro se.
If you'd like, I can read the refusal into the record.
Application is for assembly and entertainment at first floor in an existing structure on the same lot with all other uses as previously approved.
No sign this application.
There is one use refusal.
the proposed assembly and entertainment is prohibited in this zoning district.
Thank you.
Will the owners please raise their hand?
Ms. Monique Greenwood.
Thank you.
Hi, could you state your name please and spell for the court reporter?
yes my name is monique greenwood m-o-n-i-q-u-e greenwood g-r-e-e-n w-o-o-d right do you swear
affirm to tell the truth the whole truth nothing but the truth i do okay our vice chair has a few
questions for you yes hi have you emailed the exhibit packet with proof of ownership
tax compliance a copy of the refusal or referral photos under plans of the property five days in
advance of this hearing and have you met with the rco and do you have a letter yes we've done all
of those things we do not have the actual tax clearance but we do have evidence that taxes
the tax has been paid we're waiting on the clearance letter okay thank you you may proceed
and share your screen.
I need to ask my architect
if they could come on to share the screen.
Is that possible?
He can share the screen.
He just cannot testify.
You'll have to do the testifying.
Okay, sure.
What do we have to do to have them do that?
What's the name of the person?
Monique McRae.
Jason, you can put more hearts of panelists.
It's already been done.
Would you share your screen, please?
Monique?
Okay, Monique, I was asking you to share the first slideshow.
Okay, so let me just first start out by introducing myself and thanking you for allowing me to present.
My name is Monique Greenwood. I am not an attorney. I'm a passionate owner who is excited about starting a business in a building that I recently purchased at 3811 Lancaster.
I am currently the owner of a building right down the street at 3709 Bering, where I operate a bed and breakfast called Aquaba.
where I operate a bed and breakfast called Aquava.
We've been there.
We've been there for three years.
It's one of three ends that I own.
We're also in Brooklyn, New York, and the Poconos in Pennsylvania.
So we are in the hospitality business now for 28 years
and really saw the need to bring something unique to Lancaster Avenue,
which is a commercial thoroughbred.
In all honesty, because of my ignorance starting out,
I assumed that it was as use right because it is on a commercial street that is surrounded by
office buildings, restaurants, coffee houses. But I was later told that I needed the special
use variance. So that's where we're here for today. The next slide kind of just shows you
the property. It is a corner property. It's a very narrow property. It has two entrances,
is one right at the corner of Bering and Lancaster.
And the second is right on Lancaster.
It's a cute little building.
And the next slide will show what we're proposing to do.
It will be a upscale tea salon and private event space
where we can do baby shower tea parties
and bridal shower tea parties and that type of thing.
If you look at the vantage point from Lancaster on the next slide, our immediate next door neighbor is Alpacare.
We have been in talks with them.
They're very excited that we're there because we will have a component of what we do where we allow community-based organizations to meet in our space once a month.
So they will be meeting with the mothers that they serve there once a month.
We have received a letter of support from Alpacare.
They were also on the call with the community organization, which voted in full support of the project.
We are not changing the exterior of the building at all.
You know, we've already cleaned the brick.
We're putting back the shutters that were original to the property.
And there's a very small sign and we're changing the front door.
But no change to the exterior of the building at all on the inside. We're also not doing any structural changes.
The downstairs have been used, I believe, as an office prior.
So if you advance the next slide, please, you'll see that on the inside.
We're just going to be adding the tables and chairs needed to to offer the high T service.
We are not doing any cooking on premises.
You can advance the slide please again.
So this is the inspiration for what we're doing.
We currently serve high tea at our bed and breakfast
in the Poconos is very successful.
That's the, those are the pictures that you see
that were taken at that property.
You see the tea tray that's there.
All of those items are cold items
and they will not be prepared on property.
We are partnering with several other local businesses,
if you can go to the next slide.
Victoria's Kitchen, which is a restaurant on Ogons,
will be providing all of the savory items,
the sandwiches, the tea sandwiches, all of that.
And then Brooklyn Tea is our tea provider.
And we're sourcing right now with a local bakery
that will make the patisserie.
So we are just plating it on premises
and serving it on premises.
The next slide.
And so that's what I was talking about, that we are going to have monthly community events
where we're hosting space for nonprofit organizations in the community.
We are only open by reservation for high tea.
We'll be open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, three seatings, 90 minutes of pure bliss,
where guests can come in and have their high tea.
And if you go to the second presentation, we'll show you what we submitted with our application.
So the proper plans were submitted.
The architects can jump in if you have any specific questions, but you can see that the building is a triangular shape.
It's on two floors and we are not changing anything.
we're kind of refitting out the kitchen because we don't we're not going to have the
residential stove that was there because we're not doing any cooking. It's a small
small kitchen space that you'll see. The next the next one
I'm going to go through these very quickly, these plans.
I'm going to go through these very quickly these plans.
Guys, if you can just get to the part of the application that we can show, because these are all the elevations and everything is here.
But we did receive the letter of refusal, I believe it's called.
And we also mailed out a notice for the public meeting that was held.
That public meeting was held.
We received the letter of full support.
Where's the letter?
Can you go to the letter?
Yeah, from the People's Emergency Center.
It was a unanimous vote in support.
We felt very honored and blessed that all of our neighbors came out and expressed their excitement for what we intend to do.
So let's see.
That's a copy of our deed.
so we purchased it at the end of the year. This is proof of the mailing to all of the
local residents. I think you have it. If you like, I could email the receipt from
the payment of the taxes on this property. It has happened, and I think
I'd be happy to, at this time, answer any questions you might have.
Hillary, are we okay with the taxes?
If she has a receipt to show payment, I would prefer that we just hold to receive that.
I can send it right now.
I can email it to you right now.
You give me the email address where I can send it.
Give me, once you do the planning commission, give me one second, Mr. Chair, just to look
and see if there's any questions any questions any questions from the board no mr chairman
no mr questions or comments from the virtual audience
i see no hands mr chairman thank you planning commission planning commission thank you sir
good afternoon uh ladies and gentlemen of the board david fecto city planning commission
the comprehensive plan recommends a more intense commercial mixed use zoning at this location
which is commercial mixed use 2.5 in the proposed zoning district assembly and entertainment would
be allowed with a special exception so the city planning commission recommends the board grant
the use variance thank you just hold one minute here yeah mr chair this is hillary um the from
And what I can see on the the revenue website is still showing a balance for the taxes.
So we will need to see proof of payment before we can vote on this matter.
OK, so.
Can I email that to you now or.
So, Miss Greenwood, here's what we're going to do.
We're going to hold the vote until next Wednesday.
By Wednesday, we'll have everything straight and we'll have your vote.
OK, yes.
Thank you very much.
Would I tune in on Wednesday?
Pardon me?
Will I tune in on Wednesday?
You can tune in, but it'll be strictly a vote.
Everything's going to be closed, except the case is closed, except for receiving the information.
Perfect.
You can tune in.
You'll see your vote, okay?
Thank you.
And thank you very much for your presentation.
Number 12, MI 2022, 002-168-528-West Burke Street.
Alan Nockamson is the attorney.
Letter of support from Old Kentington Neighbors Association.
Letter of non-opposition from Councilwoman Sanchez.
Petition of support signed by approximately 12 neighbors.
and five letters of support, mostly from the 500 block of Bourke Street. Mr. Nockamson.
Good afternoon, Alan Nockamson, Nockamson PC.
Mr. Nockamson, you've already been sworn. Could you identify your client in relationship to the
property? Yes, my client is Norris Square Holdings LLC, and the virtual audience is Chris Steele,
the member of that limited liability property okay our vice president has a few questions
our vice chair i'm sorry hi do you agree to wave the reading of the refusal and stipulate to its
accuracy i do have you emailed the exhibit packet with proof of ownership tax compliance refusal
referral copies of photos a copy of the refusal referral photos under plans of the property five
days in advance of this hearing and if you met with your co and do you have a letter yes
and if you met with your co and you have a letter yes no respects okay you may proceed
please share ring sure thanks
all right so i'm here to present 528 west berk street uh we are in the old kids in uh section of
Philadelphia. During my presentation, I will be going over the notice of refusal, then the letter
of support from the whole Kensington Neighborhood Association, the letter of non-opposition from the
district council member, Maria Quinonez Sanchez. We did make great efforts to meet with nearby
neighbors. I believe we even have either a letter of support or a petition signed by our next door
neighbor but we have a petition signed letters to support from nearby neighbors my client actually
lives nearby as well or my client's representative chris steel maps of the area photographs of the
property in the surrounding area our plans and drawings our community meeting notice and proof
of mail event notice to the affected properties our application for appeal to cba or deeds of
property showing in north square holdings llc is the owner of the property and their certificate of
tax clearance. Again, in the virtual audience is Chris Steele, the member of the corporate
property owner, who at the end of my presentation, I'll ask to virtually raise his hand to be sworn
in and to adopt. My testimony has no interest in his own. Notice of refusal. So we're seeking
a three-family dwelling in this CMX2 property. Ultimately, we're being refused because we're
swapping out the commercial component with the residential. Not out of character for this section
of the city. First of all, there's a CMX2 property on this block, 520 Westbrook Street,
which is also solely residential in nature. And you'll see from the photographs of the property
in the maps of the area that this is a residential section of philadelphia other than across the
street there is a shopping center where the cousin's supermarket is and our goal is to
support that shopping center and the shops that are in there as well as close by there's a
commercial border or germantown avenue but there really is no commercial component on our side of
street or nearby, other than those, you know, obviously two instances which should be supported