Developers have their eye on the historic Ardmore Theater. The latest proposal received by Lower Merion Township has developers wanting to demolish the back portion of the building and construct a seven-story, 18-unit complex, said Christopher Leswing, director of the township building and planning department. The developer proposes keeping the theater’s façade on the Lancaster Avenue side and creating a retro design in keeping with the 1920s roots of the building.
Residents in the area are concerned about overdevelopment in Ardmore, and worry that the area will lose its “quaint, community feel” as more mid-rise buildings are constructed. The theater is in the Ardmore Historic District, so changes to the outside of the building must be deemed appropriate by the Historical Architectural Review Board. The Lower Merion commissioners will have the final say in whether the complex is constructed.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 8/20/2019
