Press Release Details

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 7, 2007

For More Information Contact
Christine Vilardo, The Ardmore Initiative

Public Comments Re. Township’s Request for Proposals

Ardmore, PA —The Ardmore Initiative would like to thank all of the developers who responded creatively & thoughtfully to the Township's Request for Proposals. Based on the magnitude of some of the projects, the Ardmore Initiative is very pleased that developers have as much faith in the future of Ardmore as we have.

Reviewing and evaluating the proposals was a daunting task & we leave it to minds greater than ours and to the process of community input to make a final selection. It is difficult to choose one proposal & we encourage you to interview all of the responders.
We are reminded of Goldilocks and the 3 bears: This one is too big, this one is too small. Some proposals do more than may be needed, some do not do enough. We hope, through the upcoming interview & selection process and through communication beyond selection, to arrive at a project that is "just right".

That said, here are some of the things we liked and desire to see happen (These comments are in no particular order):
- Not just a new train station but a new Transit center, which meets the needs of those who travel by bus as well as by train. We thought that the BET proposal did a good job here.
- Sufficient, well-integrated, safe parking for the town center of Ardmore which does not interrupt a pedestrian-friendly streetscape.
- Public "green" spaces. While not revenue generators, they provide a necessary sense of place.
- Smart connections to Suburban Square. We felt however, that Strategic Realty's proposal was too heavily slanted toward growth on the Suburban Square side of the tracks
- New retail construction on both sides of Lancaster Avenue.
- A performing arts center, as suggested by EBL & S
- A hotel, as suggested by EBL & S (though we understand that a hotel use has been explored and found unfeasible by Suburban Square, if not by other developers as well)
- Residential development on the North side of Lancaster Ave. A diverse residential base contributes to a vibrant downtown & we support housing for all income levels. However, we welcome additional market rate & luxury housing as it is no secret that affluent shoppers will help our retailers to thrive.
- We liked Carl Dranoff's 4 points approach & also found his staging plan, with Bernicker lot development first, to be quite feasible & sensible.
- We would like to see building designs in keeping with existing architecture. We are less concerned about height that many others from whom you will hear. We agree with Tim Mahoney, that above a certain height, the eye becomes less discerning. While height may not matter, details do and we hope that the selected developer will be sensitive Ardmore's existing architecture

Whoever is chosen faces many challenges. Here are some of the concerns we have which we hope will be addressed in the interview process:

- "The surgery was a success but the patient died". We need creative solutions to ensure that existing Ardmore businesses can remain open during the years of construction. These solutions can be in the form of marketing efforts, shuttle bus services and the like. We would ask that selected developer play a vital role in these efforts.
- We would like to hear recommendations as to how best transition and support the "existing Ardmore" and "the new Ardmore" without duplicating the current situation of a very successful Suburban Square vs. a struggling Ardmore business district.
- Do the developers have retail connections which will ensure that new buildings will be occupied by exciting, appropriate, successful retailers?
- While a connection to Suburban Square is important, we feel that the importance of Schauffele Plaza & the Cricket Lot should not be understated. Downtown Ardmore is & should remain more than just Lancaster Ave. and more than simply a poor relation of Suburban Square. We would hope that any new development would help to drive traffic to existing and future retailers on Ardmore Ave., Cricket Ave & Rittenhouse Place.
- It is important that any project selected be "doable" and supportable, in size, cost & scope. Developers need not only to say the right things, "get the questions right" so to speak, but the project must be one that can be realized.

We do not encourage any construction on the Public Safety Lot in front of the Township buildings.

The Ardmore Initiative wants Ardmore to become "The Main Street of the Main Line" and we are eager to work with the selected developer to assist in any way to move the project forward. The important thing is to move forward.

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