http://ucreview.com/community-response-to-apple-storage-make-over-lofts-and-mixuse-building-p3218-1.htm
There is going to be another community meeting on this project at Arnett A.M.E. Church, 815 S 53rd St. next Wednesday,February 15th at 7 p.m. >From the article: "Highlights of the community’s concerns- voiced both at both the January 25th meeting as well as through a survey-- run the gamut from taxes to affordability to employment. The surrounding community is not only concerned with the fact that the apartment building could raise property taxes for surrounding homeowners—many of whom live on fixed incomes—but also because Iron Stone Management will receive a ten year tax abatement if the building’s constructed. According to Kelly, many of the surrounding neighbors have wondered why new homeowners-- either those who build or purchase a home—cannot receive similar tax abatements. Many residents also wonder if the developer plans to offer any affordable or Section 8 apartments. And when it came to concerns over employment, many neighbors were concerned about whether or not the developers would offer local or out of town jobs for the building’s construction. In addition, many questioned whether or not changing the building’s use from industrial to residential was the best idea when it came to job creation. More jobs might be made available if the building maintained its original industrial use through another type of development, Kelly added." >From my attendance at the previous CPN community meeting: 1) Your property taxes might go up if you also own a giant building in the area. Property taxes are based on valuations of like-buildings. Giant former warehouse does not impact nearby single family home. 2) How is the city's tax-abatement program the developer's fault? 3) These are market rate apartments. The project is privately financed and therefore is not required to offer below market rate housing. 4) The developer has already stated publicly they wish to hire local contractors and local employees. 5) The warehouse has been vacant for several years without an industrial company seeking it out. This objection also ignores the financial impact having several hundred new residents in the area would have on local businesses. Amara On Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 10:12 AM, Amara Rockar <aroc...@gmail.com> wrote: > Update on the Apple Loft project from CPN's FB: > > " The ZBA hearing Apple Lofts was held on Jan. 4. CPN and the Baltimore > Ave. Business Association among others, entered letters of support. The > Community Achievement Association, a local group who cleans and tends the > garden lots at 51st and Baltimore and do other clean -up projects in the > area, requested a delay on the vote so a second meeting could be held to > inform more neighbors. That meeting was held on Jan. 25 on 53rd St. The ZBA > is holding the vote for 30 days which brings us to this week. In the > interim, CPN encouraged those who support this project to write directly to > the ZBA. Many have done so. To make your voice known on this project > address letters to: > > Apple Lofts Project; 780 S 52ND ST; Calendar #: 16556 > > Address letter to: > Lynette Brown-Sow, Chair > Zoning Board of Adjustment > 1401 John F. Kennedy Blvd., 11th Floor > Philadelphia, Pa. 19102 > Fax: 215-686-2565 > > Include location address and calendar # on top of your letter and on > envelope. > > Please cc: to: Jannie L. Blackwell, Room 410, City Hall, Phila., Pa. 19107 > fax 215-686-1933 > > and to: CPN, 4740 Baltimore Ave., Phil., PA 19143 " > > Someone mentioned that the Community Achieve Association has apparently > been collecting signatures for a petition against the project. If you > didn't get a chance to send in your support/opposition last month, you have > more time to do so now. > > Amara > > On Fri, Dec 16, 2011 at 2:37 PM, Karen Allen <kallena...@msn.com> wrote: > >> Hi, Amara, >> Thanks for the update! The contact information for Cedar Park Neighbors >> is cont...@cedarparkneighbors.org . The email address is monitored by >> CPN Secretary Dorothy Berlind, who forwards the emails to the appropriate >> committee. >> >> To comment on the Apple Lofts proposal, please use "Apple Lofts" in the >> subject line, and Dot will forward it to the Zoning Committee. >> >> ------------------------------ >> Date: Fri, 16 Dec 2011 14:09:43 -0500 >> Subject: [UC] Re: 52nd Street Area Development Meetings >> From: aroc...@gmail.com >> To: ucneighb...@googlegroups.com; UnivCity@list.purple.com; >> pf...@ccat.sas.upenn.edu >> >> >> Cedar Park Neighbors would apparently want to be cc'd on your emails of >> support/concern for this project but to what email, I don't know. >> >> Amara >> >> On Fri, Dec 16, 2011 at 9:56 AM, Amara Rockar <aroc...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >> I didn't get to 52nd Economic Development Plan on Wednesday. Did anyone? >> >> The Apple Storage proposal is called "Apple Lofts" and (obviously) needs >> zoning to go from Industrial to Residential. 112 "loft-style" apartments: >> 25 studios, 41 1 beds and 46 2 beds with prices ranging from $700-1,400. >> They seem to think the 52nd and Baltimore transit corridor will make the >> project especially attractive. All market-rate, no subsidized (the company >> Ironstone, has other affordable rental buildings in the area, the Madison >> at 50th and Spruce and the Commodore at 48th and Locust, recently >> acquired). Hardwood floors, stainless steel appliances and exposed brick >> walls. 92 parking spaces in back included plus bike storage and Philly Car >> Share spots (they meant ZipCar, I guess). On the ground floor they want to >> put in 2,000 square feet of C2 commercial space for which they don't have a >> tenant (someone suggested a co-working space with possibility for community >> group usage). The building will look pretty much the same except with a lot >> more windows. They will be redoing the 52nd Street sidewalk. Sewage >> connection actually runs up 52nd Street and then under the building so they >> won't need to tear up 52nd Street for that. >> >> Ironstone are not general contractors, they will have to hire a general >> contractor, want to use local contractors, mixed shop, mostly open, some >> union. Long-term maintenance etc. positions in the building will likely be >> local. Business is looking to grow. >> >> They would be applying for a 10-year tax abatement. Redevelopment of the >> building should not impact real estate taxes on the two-story homes >> surrounding it (taxes are based on like buildings). >> >> Zoning hearing is on January 4, 2012. They want to break ground in April >> with the project finished in a year but begin renting within 9 months and >> have the property fully-rented one year after completion. >> >> Community concerns: parking because of the funeral home and church >> nearby, property taxes going up anyway, it not being affordable and/or >> senior housing, construction disrupting 52nd Street traffic, the project >> attracting rowdy students, the project attracting the kinds of people who >> ride bikes(?), the additional tenants making it harder to catch a trolley >> in the morning and developers not willing to commit to making improvements >> to the 52nd and Baltimore intersection because that's neither in their >> budget nor their property. >> >> I imagine if you want to support this project or voice your concerns, you >> should be emailing marty.ca...@phila.gov and sandy.ha...@phila.gov at >> Councilwoman Blackwell's office (be sure to provide your name and address) >> and/or testifying at the zoning hearing. >> >> Amara >> >> On Tue, Dec 13, 2011 at 1:48 PM, Amara Rockar <aroc...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >> There are two meetings this week related to development along the 52nd >> Street corridor that may be of interest to neighbors. The following is all >> the info I have. Thanks! >> >> 52nd st economic development plan community meeting, Wednesday December >> 14th 6p.m. >> >> White rock baptist church, 5240 chestnut st, Philadelphia, PA >> >> and >> >> Cedar Park Neighbors is hosting a community meeting on a proposed new use >> for the long empty Apply Storage building located at 780-782 S. 52nd >> Street. The property owner, Apple Iron Stone, intends loft apartments with >> a retail use on the first floor with resident parking located in the rear. >> Cedar Park Neighbors >> invites you to a >> Community Meeting >> Regarding: 780-782 S. 52nd Street >> (Apple Storage Building) >> >> Thursday, December 15th, 2011 >> 7:00 pm >> Wayland Memorial Baptist Church >> 5126 Baltimore Avenue >> >> Many who participated in the Baltimore Conversation last year expressed >> interest in seeing vacant buildings renovated and occupied once again. We >> hope you will come to learn more about this proposed project for our >> community. Questions? Contact CPN at: 267-531-4147; >> cont...@cedarparkneighbors.org >> >> >> >> > > > -- > I foster with City Kitties: Rocco and > Red<http://citykitties.org/adopt/adoption-listings/?page=pet&id=4152313&PHPSESSID=c74b70a505f65d618c559709dff12a21> > -- I foster with City Kitties: Rocco and Red<http://citykitties.org/adopt/adoption-listings/?page=pet&id=4152313&PHPSESSID=c74b70a505f65d618c559709dff12a21>
