I believe we are talking about the site of that little one story building with ancillary parking - about 60 foot wide plot that runs from S. Front Street to Letitia. It's an awful little building.

According to BRT, owned by Leonard Berger, Lombard Metals; owned since 1984, transferred for $1.

I can't tell whether he has been able to purchase more of this land - but to the south, I believe he is bounded by Black Horse Alley which would restrict such a development.

Old City has a height restriction of 65 feet, but I believe that only applies to the Special Residential District (from my reading of the statute) which starts at the rear of the property line on the north side of Market.

Thus, this building will not fit into that designated area and can probably go higher. There has been some effort to expand the special residential district - at least the restaurant and bar restrictions to areas south of Market but I suspect that the height restriction does not apply.

In any event, to build 72 condos he would have to go considerably higher than that and may need a variance.

As for Letitia House (home of William Penn's daughter). The building exists up in Fairmount Park (where it was moved). We and the Planning Commission had hoped that it could be returned to its original site but this development will probably blow out any chance. Too bad.

One of the things that bothers me is that the residents engaged in a long planning process five years ago and one of the subcommittees - which I headed, stressed the need to keep low rise building on front street and a maintenance of "view corridors" to the water - to maintain the visual and cultural links between Old City and the riverfront.

I suspect we are about to lose that battle big time.

I'll see what else I can find out and post it here for you guys.

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“Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.” - Jane Jacobs