Development Archives

Before developer Edgar Scott III’s proposal went before the Radnor Board of Commissioners for approval, a group of residents moved to block the project for an unusual and perhaps unexpected reason. The Ardrossan Farm property apparently has historical significance. The residents want plans to pause while archaeologists assess just how significant the site is.

You cannot swing a quitclaim deed in Philadelphia without hitting something with historical significance. Developers and lawmakers often find themselves at loggerheads with preservations when it comes to altering or razing a building from the Revolutionary War or an inn where George Washington stopped for a beer. Ardrossan Farm is no exception.

The dispute over development of the Ardrossan Farm in Radnor was in the news recently. It seems the township’s Board of Commissioners has approved the subdivision plan, though residents continue to question both the process and the plan.

Proper financing is remarkably important for real estate development projects. Without proper financing, such a project may fall apart before it really gets off of the ground. Thus, the decision of what to do in regards to financing is among one of the more important decisions when it comes to a real estate development project. 

Back in the day, during the 1950s and ’60s, in the time of “Mad Men,” there was such a thing as a “bedroom community.” It was an apt description if you were one of the workers, mostly men, who commuted from the suburbs to their jobs in cities like Philadelphia and New York. Bedroom communities may have had a downtown with some retail, but there was little industry, few office buildings that would lure jobs out of Center City or Manhattan.

While Philadelphia’s commercial real estate market is looking up, Conshohocken’s is about to be redefined. The town of 7,800 sits on the Schuylkill River, a short ride northwest of downtown Philly. Its days as a steel town are over, but everything that a commercial developer could want is there: the river, easy access to two interstates, commuter rail and, most importantly, land, a rare commodity in Philadelphia’s suburbs.

We are talking about the recent court ruling in Greg Ventresca’s lawsuit against the city and a councilmember. The dispute centers on Ventresca’s development plan for the Roxborough neighborhood of Philadelphia and one concilmember’s actions to stall the plan.

A dispute over inner city development pits two seemingly complementary revitalization approaches against one another. On one side there is affordable housing; on the other, gentrification. On both sides are politicians trying to rebuild the troubled Point Breeze neighborhood of Philadelphia.

We are talking about the Springgfield Township dispute over the fate of a 42-acre tract of land. The owner of the land has asked for a zoning change; his plan is to build an assisted living facility and some age-restricted housing. The neighbors would like the land to remain undeveloped green space — or at least part of the land. They have offered to purchase the acreage set aside for the houses and roll it into a public trust, but they need three years to raise the money.

While South Philly prepares to welcome the new Pier 68, Springfield Township has been gearing up for an argument. The Montgomery County community is home to the Tecce Tract, a 42-acre plot that was part of a large family estate. The owner sees an opportunity for development. His neighbors see an opportunity for more green space.