Also this issue:

Jeff Cap
Thomas Jefferson University is expanding without thinking.
-Harris Steinberg

October 10-16, 2002

cityspace

See You In Court

The failure of developer John Turchi to provide parking for the 67 residential units he is creating at 400 Walnut Street has the Society Hill Civic Association (SHCA) fighting him in court. Society Hill residents are up in arms over a development they claim will make parking even harder to come by in a neighborhood where circling for a parking spot has become the local pastime. While the city zoning code requires that developers provide seven parking spots for every 10 new residential units, Turchi maintains that this only applies to new construction. Since he is converting a commercial building to residential use, the only parking spot he feels he is required to add is for the penthouse unit he is building on the roof.

Joanne Phillips, the Ballard Spahr attorney who represents Turchi, says that buildings constructed before 1953 are exempted from the parking requirement and Turchi's residential conversion doesn't change the fact that the building was built before 1953.

SHCA's appeal to the zoning board ended with a decision ordering Turchi to obtain 67 parking spots in existing lots. Fearing that that would mean 67 other cars would end up on the street or that Turchi would charge uncompetitive rates for the spots forcing residents to park on the street, SHCA decided to go court.

Old City residents have noticed a large hole punched in the front of the National Building on North Second Street. The National is a neighborhood landmark. Bordering on Elfreth’s Alley, the building stands out with its bright orange terra cotta tiles, providing an art moderne counterpoint to some of America’s least moderne residential architecture.

What the holes mean is not entirely clear. Some worry it's a sign of imminent demolition. According to L&I spokesperson Andrea Swan, "They have no demolition permit on file [though] they did have a permit... for removing front tiles and making repairs as necessary."

Swan says a "cease operations" order was issued when "our inspectors went to the location and determined that the actual work that was being done at the site misrepresented what was on the permit."

The building permit was obtained by Dominic Aspite, one of the city's best-known "expediters." Expediters are hired by developers to get permits from L&I in a timely manner.

When asked on the building permit application whether the building was historically certified, Aspite checked both "Yes" and "No."

According to the Philadelphia Historical Commission, the National Building is not a certified historic building but the commission will be hearing arguments in favor of certifying it later this month. Historic certification would be a barrier to demolition.

(brook@citypaper.net)