I don't believe anyone has reported to the list about Penn's secret attempt at an "accelerated zoning" process. The hotel developers applied to zoning Jan. 18th. (Al's post came in just as I prepared to send this)
The hotel was rejected Jan. 30. Just like the PHC rejected the hotel and then approved it, the developers will need to circumvent the laws using some backdoor approach. Consider the following data that was exposed Wed. night. The Hilton developers want live entertainment and a dance floor! Like the forgetful Spruce Hill zoning committee, Lussenhop forgot to tell us this until it was revealed in the REAL DATA, which we can analyze. Neighbors, the extended stay label is simply an industry term. It describes rooms with microwaves, etc. It has nothing to do with the actual length of stay for guests. Hilton will maximize profits by having overnight guests paying higher rates. All of the data the developers continue to thrust on us is to deceive us. The first report by the Daily Pennsylvanian was our first clue and the dance floor simply confirms the Hilton business plan. The DP called the hotel a less expensive option for Penn parents. It's total crap that people flying in from Alabama to stay by their family's bedside will come back to the hotel for dancing and live entertainment. As one of our neighbors pointed out, they will stay near the airport since they can't afford upscale hotels. The hotel will be used for overnight guests and parties after Penn football games, etc. It will be used for parents to drive in to visit their kids in Campus Apts. All hotels have extended stay options. The data Lussenhop is providing (at what one neighbor called "dog and pony shows") are called red herrings. No cars, limos, or taxis will ever be an issue for neighbors according to Lussenhop "data." Neighbors, Penn closes down streets and tows residents' cars, as it pleases, to serve its clients. On St. Patrick day, Penn closes down streets near the bars for the drunken student orgies. When Judy Rodin gave a speech in Clark Park in the late '90s, I was luckily sitting on my front porch when the tow trucks came. Without notice, tow trucks removed people's cars so that the limos and SUV's could roll in for her speech. After Penn football games, some of the hotel guests will have parties. It's not just the 120 cars that will roll in that day, but the hundreds of guests rolling in for the parties and dancing. I have no doubt that the Penn police will close the street to locals and start the towing. Just watch what happens on 39th St between Walnut and Chestnut on St Patrick's day! We know, without doubt, that we can't trust these developers because they have tried so hard to eliminate our voices from this process. But let's look at the real data. Right on the rejected zoning application, everyone can see that Penn refused to tell us about the dance floor and upscale shows. One of our neighbors pointed out that if the guests turn out to be upscale gentlemen, the live entertainment might very well be girly shows. Stay strong neighbors, Glenn
