MANAYUNK NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL
PO BOX 4667, PHILADELPHIA, PA 19127
mail@manayunkcouncil.org

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IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUESTED PLEASE WRITE YOUR LETTER TODAY! The ZBA hearing for 4045 Main St. is scheduled for Wednesday,19th March at 9:30 AM. The appeal is to allow an 8 story high residential building on the corner of Main Street and Shurs Lane. MNC has voted against this proposal ,considering it to be an over-scaled development. Massing comparison of 4100 Main (directly opposite 4045 and one of the taller buildings on Main Street within the Historic District) -vs- proposed 4045-61 (4100 Main 53'x100'x42'; 4045 Main 100'x400'x82') The applicant, Urban Conversions, and the present owners, the Littlewoods Family Trust, have been preparing this appeal for a long time and have asked pretty much every business and property owner on Main Street for their support in the form of letters and a petition. To counter that effort, we need as many people in the local community as possible to write to the ZBA (or give testimony at the hearing) in opposition to the development. The hearing is Wednesday March 19th at 9:30 AM. The Zoning Appeal number is ZP-2024-003395 and the Meeting ID is MI-2024-006733 Please reference these, along with the address, 4045-4061 Main Street, if sending an email. Participate in a Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) hearing. Instructions on how to attend the hearing in person, or virtually, how to email documents, or how to submit them electronically. Zoning Hearing Information Page. Direct link for document submission. Design drawings from the developer. Our letter to the Zoning Board. Below is a list of comments which you might want to pick and choose from to include as reasons for opposition: The proposal is for a change of use from 'medium industrial' to 'mixed use' with 163 residential units (1 or 2 bedrooms) with 162 parking spaces. The height of the building is 82' while the height limit for this area within the Manayunk Historic District is is only 38'. The property is the last (or first ) one at the eastern end the Manayunk Historic District along Main Street which was created to protect Manayunk's historic character. The majority of the property, including all the frontage along Main St., sits within the floodplain. Because the building sits in the floodplain, it is allowed to exceed the general 38' height limit and be just over 50' above the Main St. sidewalk. At 82' high, the proposed building is over 30' higher than the allowable height. The parking is arranged on 2 levels; the lower level, with spaces for 99 cars, is arranged along the Main Street frontage, which will need to be evacuated in a flood event. There is no detailed plan for where these 99 displaced cars will go for weeks while the property is cleaned and repaired. There is no commercial space in the building - even though it includes almost 400' of Main St. frontage. The proposed building stretches from end to end of the almost 400' long property. The maximum setback along the Main St. facade (which is predominantly 82' high) is only 5', so the building will appear as an 8 story solid wall on Main Street. The adjacent proposed building at 11 Shurs Lane, which received ZBA approval last year, is only 3 stories of newly-constructed residential units above a 1st floor level of parking and a small commercial space. That scheme, which includes a small existing building which will be retained, is, demonstrably, commercially viable as it proceeds through design. By comparison, 4045 Main Street is double the height of that building. There is no economic hardship argument that justifies that this building needs to be 3 stories higher to be viable. As an alternative, a building with significantly less residential units would need less parking spaces and could be significantly lower. Providing a terrace at the 2nd floor level above the flood elevation along Shurs Lane would provide public access and reduce the impact of the mass of the building at this prominent intersection. If anyone needs further information of has questions, please let us know.

ZOOM General Meeting April 2, 2025 at 7:00PM Register for the meeting When registering please pick the date of the meeting you are registering for. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. The meeting will begin promptly at 7:00 PM. Admission will begin 10 minutes before the start. At 6:50: PM. Please help us out by joining the meeting early and waiting in the ZOOM waiting room to be admitted. During the meeting, attendees will normally be muted. Use the 'raise hand' feature of ZOOM when you wish to ask a question. The meeting administrator will un-mute you and announce you.

BLACK LIVES MATTER Black Lives Matter protests are sweeping the region, the nation and the world. Manayunk Neighborhood Council supports these protests and the elimination of systematic racism in our police and other institutions. Manayunk Neighborhood Council continues to oppose racism in all its forms. LINKS A collection of books, journal articles and magazine content that amplifies Black voices and the issues raised by the Black Lives Matter movement George Floyd's Autopsy and the Structural Gaslighting of America

Bicentennial of the Manayunk Canal news release

263 Hermitage Update: Zoning Hearing Wednesday April 25 at 2:00 PM.

Update! New plans for Saint Marys Approved. At a public meeting, Thursday January 11, 2018, attendees voted overwhelmingly to support the new plan for 21 houses, 35 apartments, parking for North Light and (some) parking for the community.

The complete St. Mary of the Assumption church property has been up for sale for some time and now there is now an agreement of sale (i.e. a developer has agreed to purchase the property). This is a large property (73,000 square feet) and stretches between Gay Street and Carson (with Conarroe in the middle). It includes the parking lot (100 spaces), church, school, rectory and convent.

The developer, planning commission and our Councilman are all pressing for a high-density multi-family apartment development.

This meeting is your chance to exchange information and get your opinions on the record.

Get the latest info at our Saint Mary of the Assumption zoning page.

The complete St. Mary of the Assumption church property has been up for sale for some time and now there is now an agreement of sale (i.e. a developer has agreed to purchase the property). This is a large property (73,000 square feet) and stretches between Gay Street and Carson (with Conarroe in the middle). It includes the parking lot (100 spaces), church, school, rectory and convent.

How this property will be redeveloped will have a huge impact on the neighborhood.

The developer is still working on their design and is not yet ready to present a proposal. So now's the time to get our ideas in.

There many possible scenarios, from 45 by-right houses to a combination of townhouses and apartments with 100-150 units or who knows what else.

• Will the buildings be kept and converted or torn down?
• How much parking will be provided?
• Will there be parking for the neighbors?
• Will there be parking for North Light?
• Will the developer build by-right, or seek a variance, or will the Councilman sponsor a bill to City Council to rezone the parcel?

This meeting is your chance to exchange information and get your opinions on the record, for the developer, and our public officials. Councilman Jones will be represented at the meeting. We are also hoping to have the Planning Commission and church represented.

More fun than you can shake a pumpkin at. Face painting, vendors, music, the Farmers Market, and a great musical lineup, spells a whole day of fun and still time for the kiddies in the evening!

Don't miss the Zombie Thriller Dance off at 4pm. Put on your best Zombie Costume and show your best moves. Register at EventBrite

There's nothing more fun dressing up your puppy and posting pictures on the internet, but, yes there is something more fun! Dress up your puppy and join in the Pretzel Park Fall Festival Dog Parade, for fun and prizes. 11 am in Pretzel Park.

• 10:00 -- Germantown Shout Band -New Orleans Brass Band to Get Things Started
• 11:00 -- Dog Parade
• 11:15 -- EJ Simpson -Songwriter Par Excellence
• 12:15 -- White Cheddar Boys - Old Timey Americana Banjo Delights
• 1:30 -- Max Mifflin Jazz Quartet - Jazz Like a Balm to Your Soul
• 2:40 -- Merge Dance Studio Exhibition
• 3:00 -- Wolves in White - Rock of ages
• 4:00 -- Zombie Thriller Dance Off (Register at EventBrite)

Three Men & Three Women in Black Johnny Cash Concert
Satruday August 29 6pm

Photos From The Concert

Manayunk Development Corporation's Mummers Mardi Gras Parade in Manayunk February 28, 2015

2014 Fall Festival--Saturday October 25

• Farmers Market 10am to 2pm
• Music All Day
• Halloween Costume Parade for the kids
• Halloween Costume Parade for the dogs
• Food Trucks
• Vendors
• Beautiful Weather
• Fun for All

Stay DENIED. Bunting House, at 5901 Ridge Ave, Demolished Friday 12/13/2012

The Civic's request for a stay of demolition has been denied. The stay was requested to prevent the house from being demolished before the appeals of the demolition permit could be heard. The only thing standing in the way of demolition was any concern or second thoughts, by the Giovannones, about consequences should the civics win the appeals or consequenses of defying a community determined to maintain and preserve it's heritage and character.

There were no second thoughts.
(photos of the demolition)

Frank Giovannoni wasn't kidding when he said the building meant nothing to him and that there were buildings like it all up and down the Ridge. Frank was responding to a direct question by Judge Fox at the December 10 injunction hearing. Central Roxborough Civic Association led a coalition of civics in an attempt to get a stay of the proposed demolition, pending appeal hearings to the Zoning Board and L&I Board of Review.

There are, of course, not buildings, up and down the Ridge, comparable to the Bunting House. And maybe Frank was just expressing his frustration at the mess they have made. On the other hand, the strings are maybe really being pulled by the anonymous face(s) hiding behind 5901 Ridge LLC. So in the end it doesn't really matter what Frank thinks.

On Thursday December 13 the judge entered her decision denying the stay pending the appeals. On Friday morning, a crew from Haines and Kibblehouse were out insuring nobody would be changing their minds. After knocking off for the weekend, the crew was back out to finish the knocking down on Monday.

In two days, another piece of Roxborough heritage and 132 years of history were reduced to a pile of rubble. The only things saved were those that scavengers were able to cart away over the weekend.

The Giovannonis, as best we know, are now planning to market the empty lot to fast food restaurants, banks and drug store chains.

As of 7 am Wed September 26, Central Roxborough Civic Association has filed appeals against the demolition permits and for a temporary restraining order agaist the demolition.

It is reported in a Roxborough Patch Article that Giovannone claims the building is unsound and there only plans are an empty lot.

Folks have put together an on-line petition where you can register your support for keeping the building.

• Roxborough Patch: Historical Victorian Home Scheduled for Bulldozer
• Newsworks: Delay possible in plan to demolish historic Roxborough House
• Roxborough Review: Residetns want historic building saved from wrecking ball
• Preservation Alliance: Demolition Watch

• Bunting House / Ross R. Bunting History
• Photos of the building / Photos of the demolition
• Demolition Permit 425348
• Zoning and Use Demolition Permit 425813
• Zoning and Use Construction Permit 194706 from 2008

Manayunk Neighborhood Council is asking people to contact Councilman Jones and Giovannone Construction and let them know what you think.

Councilman Curtis Jones Jr. Room 404, City Hall Philadelphia, PA 19107 Phone: 215-686-3416 Fax: 216-686-1934 Email: curtis.jones.jr@phila.gov Constituent Services: Joshua.Cohen@phila.gov
Frank and Anthony Giovannone Giovannone Construction 5003 Umbria St Ste 200 Philadelphia, PA 19128 Phone: 1-215-487-1340	Giovannone Construction Inc. 2160 Harts Ln. Conshohocken, PA 19428 Fax: 610-825-8312

Friends Of Pretzel Park
Pretzel Park Summer First Friday Concert Series

Philadelphia University Day of Service in Pretzel Park September 27, 2011

MNC Neighborhood Brochure

Thanks go to Darlene and Carrie from the MNC Quality of Life Committee for a great brochure

REPORT LIQUOR VIOLATIONS (24/7) 800-932-0602 L&I VIOLATIONS (online system)

The Manayunk Club Created by Manayunk Neighborhood Council through the Scribe Video Center Precious Places Program

The Manayunk Canal Created by Manayunk Neighborhood Council through the Scribe Video Center Precious Places Program