Swarthmore Luxury Condos Dividing Borough Into 2 Camps

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From left are Melanie Rodbart, Alison Manaker and Julie Ellis, all opposed to building a condo complex in Swarthmore
Image via Alejandro A. Alvarez, The Philadelphia Inquirer
From left are Melanie Rodbart, Alison Manaker and Julie Ellis, all opposed to building a condo complex in Swarthmore

Swarthmore Borough is divided on whether a proposal for a five-story condo at 110 Park Ave. will help the borough town center or take away its best qualities, writes Kevin Riordan for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The proposal for a $30 million, five-story building at the current Celia building at 110 Park Ave. with 1,250 square feet of new retail, would add to the town center’s population and give Swarthmore empty-nesters an option to downsize while staying put.

Still, a large number of Swarthmore residents, including architects, preservationists, and businesspeople feel 110 Park would loom over low-rise buildings around it, taking away Swarthmore’s small-town distinctiveness.

The project also demolishes two vintage buildings and adds a 40-space parking garage.

Melanie Rodbart, founder of the Save Our Swarthmore nonprofit, wants town center development that doesn’t demolish what’s already there.  

“We can increase density while also maintaining and celebrating the character, charm, and scale we already have. It doesn’t have to be either/or.”

Bill Cumby, a former borough mayor whose family has been in Swarthmore for generations, is a partner in developing 110 Park.

He describes the project as  “an enormous improvement. It’s what the town center needs.”

Borough council will vote on the measure March 13.

Read more about this proposed condominium complex at 110 Park Ave. in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Here’s a brief history of Swarthmore Borough.

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