Okay. Our architect continues showing some photo of your presentation.
that's the front of the store to the to the owner
yes okay
Thank you.
Questions from the board?
No, Mr. Chairman.
Questions or comments from the virtual audience?
I see no handshare.
Planning Commission.
Good morning, Chair Bergman.
Ian Hegarty for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission, H-E-G-A-R-T-Y.
You swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
Yes, sir.
Good morning, board members.
The comprehensive plan recommends a zoning map change to CMX1 at this location.
The dimensional requirements of the zoning code, we don't feel impose an unnecessary burden on the applicant
and the proposed deck also clearly conflicts with characteristics of the surrounding neighborhood,
which is comprised of attached single-family homes on a shared rear driveway. We recognize this is a
legalization, but the City Planning Commission recommends that the Board deny the variance.
I'm sorry, Chair, this is Tanya. Interpreter, can you please just summarize and let them know
Planning Commission recommends to deny the variant.
That the committee is going to be refused to request the request.
Thank you, Chair.
MI 2021-002-611-6101 Harley Avenue.
I vote no.
Carol Tanari, my vote is no.
Come, Ms. Holloman, my Buddhist, no.
My vote is no.
James Snell, my vote is yes.
Okay, interpreter, can you tell him three noes, one yes, therefore he will get a decision
letter as a deny in the mail.
I'm a no on the vote as well.
My mute button wasn't working.
That's okay.
That's okay.
Thank you.
I'm sorry.
Interpreter, this is Tanya.
Could you just let him know
that he will get his decision in the mail.
The case is closed.
We thank you both very kindly
for coming today for this matter.
Thank you, Interpreter.
Okay, thank you.
Is there anything I can help with?
No, thank you.
Thank you very much.
Interpreter, you can sign off.
thank you for your help. Okay, thank you. Bye-bye. Have a nice day. Number one, MI 2022-001-293-2100
to 20 West Allegheny Avenue, Adam Laver. Mr. Laver is coming back in as a panelist.
good morning mr chairman members good morning mr laver could you state your name and spell for the
reporter please adam laver l-a-b-a-z and victor e-r blank rome one logan square philadelphia one
nine one zero three do you swear for him to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the
truth. Yes, Mr. Chairman, I do. Thank you. Could you identify your client and the relationship to
the property? Yes, sir. Blank Rome represents Steelheadle, QOZB, LLC, the owner of the subject
property. Leo Voloshin, V-O-L-O-S-H-I-N, and Nathan Krauthammer, K-R-A-U-T-H-A-M-E-R,
are principals of that ownership entity. They are here today. Thank you. I would note, too,
that there's a letter of support from the Allegheny West Civic Association, and our Vice
Chair, Carol Tenere, has a few questions for you. Thank you. Good morning, Mr. Labor. Do you agree
to waive the reading of the refusal and stipulate to its accuracy? Good morning, Madam Vice Chair.
Yes, I do. Have you emailed the exhibit packet with proof of ownership, tax compliance, a copy
of the refusal or referral photos and or plans of the property five days in advance of this hearing
and have you met with the rco and it it appears that you do have a letter is that correct yes
mrs tenary that's correct we have support from the coordinating rco thank you you may proceed
and begin to share your screen. Thank you.
Mr. Chairman, members of the board, on the screen before you is an aerial photograph
of the subject property, 2100-20 West Allegheny Avenue. I mentioned that Leo Voloshan and Nathan
Krauthammer, the principals who purchased the property about four and a half months ago are
with us today, along with Judy Robinson of Continuum Architecture and Design, an architect
that has appeared many times before the board in the past. Just wanted to share these photographs
to place the property in context. You can see it's a large industrial complex, just
showing you some different views and angles. The case itself concerns the proposed repurposing
of what is a historically designated industrial property, the steel heddle manufacturing company
complex. I didn't know what heddles were. I had to look them up. It has to do with textile looms
in a different era in Philadelphia's history.
The property is on the Philadelphia Historical Commission's register.
It dates to 1919.
The property itself, as you can see, is significantly underutilized.
We're looking at it now from the back,
which would have been the main entrance to the loading dock when it was a heavy industrial use.
which would have been the main entrance to the loading dock.
But over the years, the industrial nature of the neighborhood has shifted, residential living has
expanded, and the immense complex is now a deteriorated eyesore, which under prior ownership
sat vacant for many years. Here you can see, and I'll zoom in just a touch, at the top it says
Steelhead Old Building, although it's difficult to read that. We're looking at Allegheny Avenue,
the front of the property. Here you have the steps leading to the front, and you'll see in a bit
our plans for restoration. The property wraps around to 21st Street, which is to the left.
I'll show you that in a moment. Here we're looking at Allegheny, another view of Allegheny.
But here you see 21st, where it wraps around to the left, as I had mentioned.
And then it goes around to the rear. Here is Lippincott Street, which has that large floating
entrance. The structure itself is five stories, as you can see. The ownership is seeking to
meticulously preserved with the help of continuum architecture and design this structure. No
changes proposed to height, bulk, or area. You're looking now at a rendering though. You saw a moment
ago the existing photographs and here's a conceptual rendering of what we hope will be a
dramatic transformation. A conversion allowing opportunities for multi-family living as well as
light industrial commercial units. A total of 245 residential units are proposed, as well as
tenant amenities and small business startup commercial spaces, which is a really integral
part of the project to give local businesses, local residents, the chance for startup of their
endeavors, diverse endeavors. As was mentioned previously, there is support from the coordinating
RCO, which I've brought up onto the screen, Allegheny West Civic Association has offered
its support. I've just highlighted for the board's convenience, showing all community
neighbors, stakeholders, neighboring religious organizations were in 100% support of this
project, quote the letter, and showing that there was participation by all of the RCOs.
The vote was unanimous. We've also worked closely with Councilman Bass. I understand that the
council member grew up in this area and has a strong interest in the revitalization of this
property. Here is the site plan. The site plan isn't so critical, again, because we're not
proposing any changes to height, bulk, or area, but I bring it up just so you can get another sense
of the nature of an industrial complex. You have interconnected buildings of different heights.
The highest height is five stories, as I had previously mentioned. At the bottom is Lippincott,
which is the rear. Allegheny is at the front. And again, nothing is changing. One of the nice
things about the existing property is it has the loading dock from the back, which will be used
to keep the commercial trash pickup out of the public eye, et cetera. The parcel is large. You
can see it's over 75,000 square feet in size. In terms of the footprint, you have about 257,000
square feet of improvement area. As mentioned, it is zoned industrial I1, a light industrial
designation. But we would submit that the proposed reuse of the former industrial structure,
a historically designated structure, does present an exciting opportunity for collaboration,
reimagining with the coordinating RCO, with the council member's office, and I should also note
with the Commerce Department and PIC, with whom we are engaging in meetings to create real
substantive opportunities for local business growth at this site. We'll be meeting with the
Commerce Department, PIDC, the community, and other city representatives within the next couple of
just to give you a sense of the ongoing nature of the discussions.
The proposal itself calls to restore the entire property inside and out and do it in a historically sensitive way to convert the use to 200.
and do it in a historically sensitive way to convert the use to 245 residential dwelling units,
including some flexible opportunities for live-work dwelling units, a small number of those,
which is something that was desired as part of the neighborhood plan, not required, but desired.
101 class 1a bicycle parking spaces 32 creative small business startup spaces which is that
joint effort with the community and various city governments to employ people in the neighborhood
and the project fits into the neighborhood vision it actually goes back to the last days of tasty
cake baking company which i'm sure most everyone will recall was a presence in this neighborhood
moved out of the neighborhood, left a gaping hole. And at that time, leadership got together
to re-envision a strategic plan. So 20-some vacant acres of land in the neighborhood are part of that
multi-year strategic plan, which also fits into the 2035 PCPC vision. Well, this is a part of that,
and that's why you see the coordinating RCO support. The notice of refusal is up on the
screen. I'll just move out for a moment. And I highlight it again to pinpoint that there are two
refusals. Number one, residential household living of any type is prohibited in the industrial
district. And number two, retail sales and commercial services uses are prohibited in the
industrial district. So what does this mean? It means you have this huge site that sat vacant.
I believe that the factory closed down in 83, according to some online research that I did.
And it's historic. There's very little that can occur there. So here's a way to find a mixed use
opportunity that really responds to calls from the community.
Now, in the I-1 district, you could have so-called maker spaces,
but you could not have the makers then sell their goods in the community.
So they need the opportunity to be able to do that, which is why you have the second refusal
and why we would submit that this makes a lot of sense in terms of appropriate variance relief.
Here, you just see a couple photographs of the interior. You get a sense of the condition. You can get a sense also of the cost that will be involved in converting this.
We're burdened by a structure that's subject to historical commission oversight. Permissible uses are severely limited within the confines of the existing structure, and continued industrial at the site is not practicable, as shown by the zoning map, the aerial photographs, the neighborhood photos.
And the surrounding zoning is mixed, so there's a need for this type of mixed use creativity that's being proposed for this immense site.
I'd also like to note that although there's no refusal on parking, the owners are working with the Allegheny West Civic Association and the Council Member's Office to provide ample parking close by approximately 300 spaces at 21st and Lippincott.
which is a great responsible move for the community.
So once again, in partnership with the architectural team,
we have found a way to preserve and enhance the building,
to convert it, to benefit the neighborhood
in a desirable way to support small businesses
and increased opportunities for residential living.
Let me go through the proposed floor plans briefly.
And I know this is difficult to see
because we're talking about a large footprint.
But in the basement, the basement is studio workshop zone. No living spaces in the basement. So this is all permitted within the district, along with storage and mechanicals.
Perhaps you would have a dark room down there for a photographer or a wood shop, that type of thing.
Let's move to the first floor, which is the floor that interacts with the neighborhood the most.
Here on the first floor is a mix of studio workshops, strictly where people would be working. It could be a local textile artist who also wants to sell her wares and have people come in.
But there are also a limited number of live-work units, about nine of those, to have an affordable way for creative types to both live and work.
And you have residential units as well, amenity spaces, bicycle storage, the interior trash storage, the loading off of the back end within the footprint.
within the footprint. So on the first floor, just to give you a summary,
So on the first floor, just to give you a summary, nine students.
nine studio workshops, nine live work units, 29 residential units. Moving to the second floor,
we're showing 52 residential dwelling units. Third floor, 57 residential dwelling units.
fourth floor, 57 residential dwelling units, and fifth floor, 41 residential dwelling units.
I'll take you to the next page here, and sorry to make people motion sick.
These are typical unit configurations. So you have a mix within of studios, one bedrooms,
and two bedrooms designed to meet the existing limitations or the large structural beams from
the factory. Judy Robinson did a really nice job with that. All of nice sizes embraced by the
community when we discussed that with them. In addition, just in summary, the entire area around
the property will benefit from street planning and enhance streetscaping. We've worked to balance
preservation of the existing building while allowing highest and best use to meet the
demands for residential living and local employment. The authorization of variance
relief will not alter the character of the neighborhood in a negative way, will not be
detrimental to the public welfare. This is the type of seminal project that helps again to
meet the strategic plan and needs of the neighborhood. It's a combined effort, a partnership
not only with the developer but with so many others. It fits the surrounding neighborhood
as evidenced by the language of the 2035 plan, the anonymous coordinating RCO approval of the
proposal, et cetera. We're talking about two use refusals. The minimum variance is necessary to
afford relief when it's been shown that the industrial nature at a large site like this
has not worked for so many years. This will not substantially increase congestion in the public
streets, increase the danger of fire, or otherwise the danger of public health, safety, or welfare.
The improvement of the condition of the building will be a huge improvement, and this will not
adversely affect transportation, a duly burden, public sewers, etc. In closing, we've worked,
I've mentioned so many times that we've worked with leaders in the community. Due to it being
primary election day, I regret that several of those key leaders are not with us today,
and I beg the board's pardon for that. I do have our developer team here along with
architect Judy Robinson. Thank you. Do you want to have your testimony adopted? Yes. If I could
please call Leo Voloshan to raise your virtual hand, Mr. Voloshan. Mr. Chairman, he's available.
Okay. Could you state your name and spell for the court reporter, sir?
Good morning, Mr. Chairman. My name is Leo Voloshin, L-E-O, V as in Victor, O-L-O-S-H-I-N.