One condition stated that the applicants “shall explore” alternative subdivision designs to maintain some open space at the corner. They are considering other plans, including placing a conservation easement on a part of the corner and splitting off two lots on the portion below it on New Gulph Road, Fromhold said, but he asked the commission to amend staff’s recommended conditions of approval.
The Robinsons’ attorney, Fred Fromhold, told the commission his clients would have preferred to sell their home and land as is, but the real estate market has not supported it. “Something very, very sad had been put before you,” he added, “and I beg you to stop it.” “We felt we were doing our duty to the neighborhood.”Īlexandre said he was “shocked” when he received notice of the Robinsons’ plan. “The requirements imposed on us to care for and cherish this historic resource have been extremely rewarding,” he said, referring to its listing on the township inventory. Jim Alexandre of Avon Road owns and restored the former home of Louis Clarke, founder of Ardmore’s Autocar Co. Following that analogy, Planning Commission Co-Chairman Charles Howland mused that the placement of the new house was like “putting the iceberg before the Titanic.” He described the house’s linear design in poetic terms, saying that Chandler had set it like “a ship riding over a green, grassy knoll,” or “green sea.” In the subdivision plan that was shown, a wall of the house would be no more than 30 feet from a wall of the new corner home. Jeffrey Cohen, who teaches architectural history at Bryn Mawr College, said the house is part of a “gallery” of prestigious homes from that era in the area. That historic viewshed would be significantly blocked by the placement of a new home on a new corner lot, neighbors said.
What’s more, with the house set back from the intersection of Pennswood and New Gulph roads, Chandler’s design created an open vista at the corner, dotted with imposing white oak trees that would be lost to new construction. “It is one of those stately homes that partially define what this neighborhood is,” a “classic Bryn Mawr-Haverford home,” Assistant Director of Planning Chris Leswing said in presenting the plan. The house at 121 Pennswood, designed by Theophilus Parsons Chandler, founder of the architecture department at the University of Pennsylvania, is not currently listed on the township’s Historic Resource Inventory – a former owner opted not to designate it – but it meets criteria, said Christian Busch, chairman of the Lower Merion Historical Commission. There are several reasons planning staff and a group of neighbors want the owners to reconsider the current plans. Lots for two new single-family homes – somewhat larger in footprint than the main house – would be created. Bryn Mawr Is An Excellent Place To Live and Work.In that case, owners Paul and Sarah Robinson, unable to find a buyer in two years for the 1885 Queen Anne-style home they purchased and renovated 13 years ago, propose to subdivide the 1.5-acre parcel, retaining the existing house but demolishing its large detached garage. All Of This Creates A Diverse And Vibrant Local Economy.
Lastly, There Is An Excellent Hospital Situated Right in Downtown Bryn Mawr. There Are Lots Of Specialty Shops Along Lancaster Ave And Many Restaurants To Choose From Like Tango Bistro, Cosi, Bertucci's, Etc., Additionally, There Are Many Top Rated Universities Situated In The Immediate Area Like Villanova University, Cabrini College, Rosemont College, Bryn Mawr College, & Haverford College. As You Walk Around The Beautiful Tree Lined Streets You Will Notice Some Of The Spectacular Stone Homes That Were Built In The Early 1900's. Public Transportation Can Provide You Access To Downtown Philadelphia And The King Of Prussia Mall In Just 15-20 Minutes. You Can Walk To Parks, Shopping, Restaurants, & Trains. One of It's Best Features Is A Town Center With Access To Everything. Bryn Mawr Is Just One Of Many Main Line Towns That Has A Lot To Offer.