It's about time that developers got interested in developing in UM again!! The only problem as I see it is that because the comissioners did not extend the "town center zone" to include the areas north on York Rd. & Davisville Rd., there is only 1 developer that will bnenfit from the TIF. I only hope that the voters in ward 1 realize that Commissioner Romaniello was the driving force behind keeping the "town center zone" samller rather than enlarging it to include areas that; to quote Comm. Hotchkiss; "... is ugly and keeps getting uglier". Read below and feel free to comment.
By Jesse Reilly Staff Writer
With a tax incentive aiming to increase development in downtown Willow Grove waiting on approval from the county, it seems developers are already interested in the area.Several presentations came before the community development committee Monday night proposing a movie theater, student housing and major improvements to the Willow Grove Shopping Center.David Iemolo of Federal Realty Investment Trust, which has owned the shopping center since the mid 1980s, presented the committee with a plan that would upgrade nearly 6 acres of the 13-acre center and add a six-story parking garage, more than 250 residential units and increase the retail square footage by nearly 80,000.“It would really open up the space and allow pedestrian connection straight through,” Seth Shapiro, the director of planning and urban development for the project said. “It would look quite different than it looks right now.”The project is consistent with the guidelines of redevelopment in the town center, Jody Holton, urban development planner for the township, said.“This plan really seems to embody all of your goals,” she said. “It looks to eliminate big box stores and increase pedestrian travel. It is centralized and much more efficient.”For Commissioner Joe Lavalle, chairman of the committee, the project seemed to embody the township’s goals.“This could inject life back into this area of town,” he said. “It’s a big project but I think we’re going in the right direction.”With Toys-R-US vacant, Iemolo said there is a short window of opportunity to begin the project because, if it is re-occupied, it could put construction on hold for as long as a decade.Federal Realty would be the first developers looking to utilize tax incremental financing — a tool used to generate funds for projects by freezing taxes for developers, allowing them to use the money they would have paid in taxes for construction.“Without that, this project would not be possible,” Iemolo said. “This needs to be a partnership because it is a large scale project.”Even with 229 one- and two-bedroom apartments, Shapiro said he did not believe there would be a significant impact on the school district — one of the entities needed to approve a TIF.“This is luxury apartment living and we usually see young, single professionals or newly married couples without children,” he said. “We don’t see it bringing too many children to the school district.”In addition to the improvements to the shopping center, a representative for Frank Theaters proposed a 16-screen movie theater and IMAX at the old Sam’s Club Property, 1001 S. York Road.The plan also proposed restaurants in the area and possible retail space in the future, Thomas Chapman, attorney for Frank Theaters said.A variance for restaurant use, parking and possibly for the height of the IMAX would be needed.Finally the township heard a proposal for a three-story, 50 two-bedroom unit student housing at 422, 423 and 503 York Road.“We have had conversations with Penn State Abington and Arcadia,” Jeffery Cairone of Joseph Cairone Construction said. “There is a definite need for student housing in the area.”Commissioner James Hotchkiss agreed.“That area is ugly and keeps getting uglier,” he said. “Any construction would be welcome.”There would be security on the property from Thursday to Sunday as well as the possibility of a graduate student as a resident assistant.Although the developers were interested in a TIF, Kate Harper, the township’s solicitor, said she did not believe it would apply and is something both entities would have to look into.Excited to keep the lines of communication open with all developers, it seemed that the members of the board had some reservations but were in favor of the projects.“It’s a very exciting time,” Lavalle said. “We just need to keep the lines of communication open.”
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
What Will the Year Bring to Upper Moreland?
Upper Moreland board member seeking re-election
By: Jesse Reilly, Staff Writer
04/09/2009
No surprises here folks… Lisa is running again! I guess she still has more to say. Taking the meetings until 11:00 must not have been enough time.
Deciding to run for Upper Moreland Township Commissioner to spur change in downtown Willow Grove, Democratic incumbent Lisa Romaniello said her reasons for seeking re-election are the same.
Will this include more projects that will be funded with our local taxpayer dollars? This same tax base that is overburdened? We wonder if there were less dissention from self proclaimed advocates of “change” we might have developers ready to invest in the future of our township. Hold on, we forgot, we will be getting that snazzy fountain and granite curbing! Upper Moreland Township Taxpayers – are you getting your money’s worth? Maybe we can pull some pennys out of that fountain some day!
"We had two really productive years in 2006 and 2007. We had a lot of momentum as a board and got a lot accomplished," the Ward 1 representative said. "But we seemed to have lost in the past two years and I want to work to get us back there."
Teamwork means seeing all sides, not fighting to prove you are right. Team work is Compromise. Lesson of the day… There really is no I in team.
Hoping to restore civility and decorum to the council room, focus on economic development and create more jobs in the community and take the steps necessary to make Upper Moreland the leader in green technology are advancements that Romaniello said are crucial to the township's future.
Hold on, I choked on my gum – civility? Do you ever watch the videos of the commissioners meetings over the past 4 years? Glass house, let me introduce you to stone.
"If re-elected I would work to switch our HVAC system to solar or geo-thermal technology," she said. "I would update our zoning codes and make investments in improving the township's storm water infrastructure."
Too much here, just google geothermal – won’t vote to fund needed upgrades for our police but will talk about technology that potentially leaves a more detrimental carbon footprint. Talk green but do the research too. Oh and how much will this cost and how will WE pay for that?
Zoning code update? Is this the same one already under review and the effort, by the way, that she opposed favoring the establishment of traffic impact fees? Tax and Spend?
As a board member, Romaniello said the economy will be the biggest challenge that the board will face in the upcoming years.
"Our expenditures are currently $600,000 more than our revenue," she said. "We really need to tighten our belts, but realize that we need to be willing to go after economic stimulus dollars and make investments in our future. It is irresponsible not to try to go after the funds that are available to finance these types of improvements."
Next lesson: Stimulus money is a one time shot of funding for the commonwealth – you cannot count on this money as continuous funding stream. As one of 67 counties in this commonwealth all the money isn't coming here. But hey courting a few good developers might help build that tax base – or cutting some of the frivolous projects already mentioned. And the Grants or low interest loans? These still come with a price tag. We need to make good choices.
Acknowledging the difficult times ahead, Romaniello said she believes it is also a time of change."I think the status quo type of governing is not paying off," she said.
Change!? Your right - the last four years are not paying off.
The self-proclaimed bipartisan said her way of thinking could be an asset to the board. "I am able to cross political lines and work with people," she said, adding that her time on the township's advisory planning agency, the historical commission and the revitalization and redevelopment committee (is this one that ended over a porkchop?), as well as her professional experience as a business owner have afforded her the experience necessary to work on the board. Letting it go… Too easy…
"I have managed many big projects from start to finish and part of my job is listening to my clients, establishing a strategy and implementing those strategies," she said. "And of course, delivering the final project within budget." But are these team strategies or my way or the highway strategies? Compromise in goverment is essential too.
Re-establishing the spirit of political will on the board is what is needed as the township moves forward, Romaniello said.
"We need to bring back that spirit," she said. "We need to become a government that can do and accomplish things, not look at them as an impossibility."
Amen to that - Heres to alternatives!
By: Jesse Reilly, Staff Writer
04/09/2009
No surprises here folks… Lisa is running again! I guess she still has more to say. Taking the meetings until 11:00 must not have been enough time.
Deciding to run for Upper Moreland Township Commissioner to spur change in downtown Willow Grove, Democratic incumbent Lisa Romaniello said her reasons for seeking re-election are the same.
Will this include more projects that will be funded with our local taxpayer dollars? This same tax base that is overburdened? We wonder if there were less dissention from self proclaimed advocates of “change” we might have developers ready to invest in the future of our township. Hold on, we forgot, we will be getting that snazzy fountain and granite curbing! Upper Moreland Township Taxpayers – are you getting your money’s worth? Maybe we can pull some pennys out of that fountain some day!
"We had two really productive years in 2006 and 2007. We had a lot of momentum as a board and got a lot accomplished," the Ward 1 representative said. "But we seemed to have lost in the past two years and I want to work to get us back there."
Teamwork means seeing all sides, not fighting to prove you are right. Team work is Compromise. Lesson of the day… There really is no I in team.
Hoping to restore civility and decorum to the council room, focus on economic development and create more jobs in the community and take the steps necessary to make Upper Moreland the leader in green technology are advancements that Romaniello said are crucial to the township's future.
Hold on, I choked on my gum – civility? Do you ever watch the videos of the commissioners meetings over the past 4 years? Glass house, let me introduce you to stone.
"If re-elected I would work to switch our HVAC system to solar or geo-thermal technology," she said. "I would update our zoning codes and make investments in improving the township's storm water infrastructure."
Too much here, just google geothermal – won’t vote to fund needed upgrades for our police but will talk about technology that potentially leaves a more detrimental carbon footprint. Talk green but do the research too. Oh and how much will this cost and how will WE pay for that?
Zoning code update? Is this the same one already under review and the effort, by the way, that she opposed favoring the establishment of traffic impact fees? Tax and Spend?
As a board member, Romaniello said the economy will be the biggest challenge that the board will face in the upcoming years.
"Our expenditures are currently $600,000 more than our revenue," she said. "We really need to tighten our belts, but realize that we need to be willing to go after economic stimulus dollars and make investments in our future. It is irresponsible not to try to go after the funds that are available to finance these types of improvements."
Next lesson: Stimulus money is a one time shot of funding for the commonwealth – you cannot count on this money as continuous funding stream. As one of 67 counties in this commonwealth all the money isn't coming here. But hey courting a few good developers might help build that tax base – or cutting some of the frivolous projects already mentioned. And the Grants or low interest loans? These still come with a price tag. We need to make good choices.
Acknowledging the difficult times ahead, Romaniello said she believes it is also a time of change."I think the status quo type of governing is not paying off," she said.
Change!? Your right - the last four years are not paying off.
The self-proclaimed bipartisan said her way of thinking could be an asset to the board. "I am able to cross political lines and work with people," she said, adding that her time on the township's advisory planning agency, the historical commission and the revitalization and redevelopment committee (is this one that ended over a porkchop?), as well as her professional experience as a business owner have afforded her the experience necessary to work on the board. Letting it go… Too easy…
"I have managed many big projects from start to finish and part of my job is listening to my clients, establishing a strategy and implementing those strategies," she said. "And of course, delivering the final project within budget." But are these team strategies or my way or the highway strategies? Compromise in goverment is essential too.
Re-establishing the spirit of political will on the board is what is needed as the township moves forward, Romaniello said.
"We need to bring back that spirit," she said. "We need to become a government that can do and accomplish things, not look at them as an impossibility."
Amen to that - Heres to alternatives!
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