Blight

Karma Meets Scrooge?

carla — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 18:26:30 +0000

The beleaguered residents of one small neighborhood in Haverford just received an update from Lower Merion Township regarding the Christmas gift of developer demolition previously discussed. It goes like this:

Haverford Neighbors, The Township Engineer attended a pre-construction meeting today. Request to proceed with demolition was denied because the site was not in compliance with the approved plan and/or the development conditions of approval....The three primary problems were site access from Buck Lane, tree protection, and erosion control fencing.

Ok, no, it doesn't necesarily mean that this neighborhood will get a holiday reprieve, but it does mean that they all have the comfort level of knowing Lower Merion is watching. Thank you Lower Merion! Sign me Virginia seeking Santa Claus....thanks Karma!

Ho Ho Ho From Your Friendly Neighborhood Developer?

carla — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 23:39:51 +0000

My e-mail in-box was a flurry of activity from people in Haverford. Queries as to whether or not that development "Allaire" was proceeding? Why big back hoes were arriving in the neighborhood the week BEFORE Christmas? This was the first e-mail:

Septa and Amtrak Continue On Their Good Neighbor Track Along Main Line?

carla — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 16:35:32 +0000

They say a picture is worth a 1000 words, which is why I took a walk through North Wayne the other day to reaquaint myself with why the folks on Pennsylvania Ave and surrounding streets were so upset about the Wayne Train Station project, and therefore Septa and Amtrak. (Amtrak/Septa Stormwater Management "Solution" PA Ave North Wayne Pa Nov. 2008)

Radnor Update - Eyesore Sought For School Lane and Louella Avenue Awaits

schnlj — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 03:10:20 +0000

Ever wonder what happened to the condo planned for School Lane at Louella Avenue in Wayne ? In September of 2007, builders applied to demolish the existing garages and office that many folks remember as Riley Tree Surgery's headquarters, at the corner of Lancaster Pike, Louella Avenue, and School Lane, across from the athletic field, and next to the parking and stairs leading up to the shopping district's east end. The new application added a ninth condominium, changed the residences from townhouses to flats, and added additional garages.

We Cant Coexist With Gambling

schnlj — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 01:27:26 +0000

Southeastern Pennsylvania Citizens Against Gambling has formally requested intervention against the proposal of Valley Forge Convention Partners LLP to put slot machine gambling into the convention complex in Upper Merion, Montgomery County. If approved by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, intervention will create, for Southeastern Pennsylvania Citizens Against Gambling, full status in the application process, including at hearings.

Pa-rr-ty! Other Communities Dealing With Student Housing Woes

MainLineThoughts — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 18:32:48 +0000

Yep...we're not the only ones talking about student housing issues. As in issues with off campus houses. Check out the thing from the NBC 10 Investigators the other day along with an oldy but goody from the New York Times. I think the bottom line is these institutions of higher learning have to take active responsibility of their student populations.

Graffiti Ordinance and Giving Credit Where Credit is Due

SaveArdmoreCoalition — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 03:47:02 +0000

So... the other week the Board of Commissioners discussed the proposed amendment(s) to the Graffiti Ordinance at a public meeting.

Lilacs and Development Don't Smell So Sweet Together

SaveArdmoreCoalition — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:47:36 +0000

Well, well, well. Many thanks to Main Line Life for bringing us this editorial by one of our Vice Presidents: MAIN LINE LIFE: May 8, 2008 Time for sweet scent of lilacs and new development plans By Carla J. Zambelli

Ahhh Spring! The landscape is lush with greenness and the air heavy with the scents of lilac and old fashioned viburnum. But what else does spring bring us as citizens up and down the Main Line? A full course of new and disturbing smaller development plans to peruse.

Wanted: The Return of Stolen Lawn Signs

SaveArdmoreCoalition — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:45:14 +0000

We have several uncofirmed reports from both sides of the aisle of stolen lawn signs? Seriously? Apparently, for some reason, someone or several someones feel the need to make Daylin Leach and Lance Rogers State Senate signs disappear? Is this true? What are we, like ten years old? And what's up with the almost billboard size campaign signs that look like "Elect Me For Ms. Universe" that some of our members have seen in HT? Honestly, they are as bad as the WaWa billboard above Bella Italia Pizza aren't they? It is the right of every American to speak freely and to support candidates of their own choosing. So, campaigns should not stoop to stealing signs. And that goes for ANY campaign out there, not just ONE.

Graffiti! Have You Seen It? Tell us!

SaveArdmoreCoalition — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 23:35:01 +0000

Some Graffiti has been cleaned up around Ardmore, and some has not (hint: that stuff on West Athens Ave has GOT to go!)

So once again, we say:

The Save Ardmore Coalition Graffiti Fighters are interested in helping clean up the graffiti. If you see graffiti, and can take a digital photo and e-mail it to us at or post it up here on the SAC site, please do.

read more

Got Awning?

SaveArdmoreCoalition — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 19:06:32 +0000
A few people now have pointed out the latest must have campaign fashion accessories for campaign 08- awnings!! We are so happy to see awnings that we thought we would help the candidate out --- we figured there would be a forthcoming press release on the topic to go with all of the candidate's "firsts", right? Anyway, the other two had better get busy, everyone should waste campaign pork on awnings, right?

Ardmore....

SaveArdmoreCoalition — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 19:07:47 +0000
The other day based upon scuttlebutt on the street we posted some questions. As a result, we went looking for answers, which of course may or may not raise more questions. We all love Ardmore, and we know so do a lot of you, but we need to not only look to Lancaster Ave, but the neighborhoods too in the effort to acheive balance and harmony, correct? Photo 1: What will these people see depending upon how the Cricket Lot is developed? Photo 2: Someone on School Lane has their Hanes on Ardmore?

Why Should Ardmore Remain Blighted and Who Supports It and Why?

SaveArdmoreCoalition — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 15:19:37 +0000
Is this blight? Last night at the last BOC in Lower Merion, we may have seen an interesting topic blossom once again - unless of course the topic gets buried, right? Is this blight? Last night when "New Business" was announced, Commissioner Lance Rogers brought up some truly old business that no one wants to be discussed. Commissioner Rogers asked a question that VP of SAC and Ardmore Business Owner Scott Mahan has been asking for quite a while- a question many of us have been asking since the resolution NOT to use eminent domain for private gain was passed:
Why should the formerly eminent domain bogus blight targeted block of Ardmore's historic district remain blighted at this point?

Take Action NOW on Eminent Domain - Call Washington DC TODAY!

SaveArdmoreCoalition — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 14:12:31 +0000
Land Rights Network American Land Rights Association PO Box 400 - Battle Ground, WA 98604 Phone: 360-687-3087 - Fax: 360-687-2973 E-mail: alra@pacifier.com Web Address: http://www.landrights.org Legislative Office: 507 Seward Square SE - Washington, DC 20003 Eminent Domain Vote In Senate On Farm Bill, You Must Call Now! Below is the text of a press release sent out by Senator Larry Craig (R-ID) regarding an amendment to limit the use of eminent domain for landowners he is offering to the Farm Bill in the Senate this week.

Is this Ok With All of You?

SaveArdmoreCoalition — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 19:20:49 +0000
If Oddfellows ceases to exist will our beloved Richie Ashburn remain in peace?

Ardmore Graffiti Has Got To GO

SaveArdmoreCoalition — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 19:59:46 +0000
The Save Ardmore Coalition Graffiti Fighters are interested in helping clean up the graffiti. Please e-mail comments@saveardmorecoalition.org or stop into Suburban Office to see Scott Mahan. Property owners, there are many folks out there who will help you clean up the graffiti, just reach out. Don't let graffiti take over - it makes the town look awful. And if you see someone "tagging", call the police. One of our members took some new photographs on Friday: Ardmore Ave at Lancaster - rear - garage

Did Harrisburg Leave Loophole in Eminent Domain Legislation?

SaveArdmoreCoalition — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 00:19:20 +0000
In a word? YES. [i]This is not anything other then food for thought - this legislation could use a little tightening. Feel free to write to Ed Rendell and our local State Senator Connie Williams or our local State Representative Daylin Leach [/i]

Things that make you go "Hmmmm" in Lower Merion....

SaveArdmoreCoalition — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 15:00:48 +0000
In Ardmore we hear there was a very nice dinner the other night. We also hear that there was some sour grapes going on? After all this time, the more that changes, the more that stays the same? What's up with that? If we don't sign on 110% to your vision of overly urbanizing Ardmore, we are still the devil incarnate, much as we were when we opposed eminent domain and beat it? Is it still a childish game of whomever gets all the toys wins? Seriously, silly questions about what is IJ? (But we'll be nice and throw them a bone - www.IJ.org - if you can read you can learn....) All in all we find it amusing that the same old people are still saying the same old things....snap out of it! You kids in an time warp or something? We LOVE Ardmore! We just don't love the idea of skyscrapers in Ardmore (or in the ROHO zone either). Our members are out and about and involved in the local Ardmore community, as well as the extended Lower Merion community. (If these kids got out more, they'd know all this already, poor kids.)

Why Doesn't Anyone Care That Haverford is Getting Blighted Looking?

SaveArdmoreCoalition — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 19:50:34 +0000
Blight By Developer We have a lot of friends in Haverford. And a lot of SAC members. And the neighborhood that is a veritable island sandwiched between Lancaster and Montgomery Avenues continues to struggle.

Lawn Sign Follies

SaveArdmoreCoalition — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 16:58:31 +0000
They don't say "Eat at Joe's"....but they do say almost everything else....mind you, we LOVE our old lawn signs, many which survive TO THIS DAY proudly displayed: Lawn Sign Done Right

In Ardmore, What is Blight?

SaveArdmoreCoalition — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 16:28:24 +0000
We keep asking "what is blight?" We keep asking "why is our block still legally blighted?" Here is a photo of the Pennywise Thrift Shop - does this look blighted to you? It's in the blight zone What about these random photos to follow of other buildings in downtown Ardmore, NOT in the formerly targeted block? Why are these building so special and not considered to be exhibiting blight? Is blight, as defined in Ardmore, merely subjective? Ok, check out these photos below, just for argument's sake. None of them are considered blighted.