Local real estate developer the Goldenberg Group presented its latest plans for the 4.4-acre property at 100-102 Mermaid Lane on May 27. A receptive crowd of near neighbors and locals filled the Chestnut Hill Friends Meetinghouse’s event room to view the project and ask questions. 

The meeting comes almost a year after the City Council vote that created the Chestnut Hill Lower East Neighborhood Conservation Overlay (NCO), which opposed the developers original plans for the property. 

The lot formerly housed the Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting and headquarters for the defunct Blossom Philadelphia organization, which helped people with physical and intellectual disabilities. 

The Goldenberg Group’s design calls for 28 owner-occupied residences featuring 12 twin houses, three single houses, and a restored and renovated former meeting house.

While Tuesday's meeting was not part of the typical review process by the convening Registered Community Organization (RCO), it was voluntary on behalf of the Goldenberg Group to allow for public feedback ahead of the zoning process. RCO’s, like the Chestnut Hill Community Association, host public meetings for proposed developments and are the first public step in the zoning process. 

Kevin Trapper, executive vice president of the Goldenberg group, told the Local, “Because we've owned the site for several years, we wanted to come out here just as an informational meeting and let people know what we're planning there … information is key, and people were probably wondering what was going on.” 

After presenting the project, attendees had an opportunity to ask questions. While some revolved around minor details and continued communication, the general reception was positive. 

Trapper added, “We're very pleased with the reception as far as the community really embracing the project, and it allows us to move forward with the project with confidence that it'll be something great for the community overall, and obviously to bring new residents into Chestnut Hill.” 

How we got here

In 2021, the Goldenberg Group proposed construction of 285 housing units on the property at 100-102 Mermaid Lane, drawing a reaction from neighbors. 

A group of near neighbors organized, forming an NCO which covered the southern portion of Chestnut Hill bordering the SEPTA Chestnut Hill East rail line, Cresheim Valley Drive, Germantown Avenue, Winston Road, Moreland Avenue, Devon Street, Ardleigh Street, and Springfield Avenue. 

Councilmember Cindy Bass introduced a bill last year, with City Council voting to approve it in June 2024, forming the conservation district. 

Cynthia Brey, a representative of the NCO, told the Local, “We opposed the original scheme that they had for a (285) unit apartment building that was five stories tall. And we formed this group to create a neighborhood conservation overlay.” 

Brey and the other group representatives approve of the Goldenberg Group’s current plan, seeing it as a much more “residential approach.” 

She added, “The general esthetics are in keeping with what we had for the NCO, largely, and I think it extends the character of Chestnut Hill for the smaller developments. … We have achieved an awful lot, and we'll continue our collaboration with the Goldenberg Group because there's still a lot of design ahead.” 

The presentation  

At the start of the meeting, Anne McNiff, executive director of the Chestnut Hill Community Association, opened the meeting by saying, “This is simply a preview in order to get the neighbors, the near neighbors, and the community at large, some information about this plan and an opportunity to ask questions and make comments.” 

As the project proceeds, the Goldenberg Group will require approval from the Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA), needing several variances to bring the designs into reality. Ahead of that, they would meet with the convening RCO, typically the Community Association, for further public meetings. 

After an introduction from Trapper, the project’s architect, Steve Bonitatibus, presented the plan. It showed the 28 owner-occupied residences utilizing the existing entrances to the property off Mermaid Lane, creating a shared private road for the planned community.

Bonitatibus then broke down the layout of the different houses and the planned community, describing a mix of private and shared green spaces. 

He said, “The typical twin, as the name denotes, houses two single-family residences. They're each about 2900 square feet on two floors, with the capability of a finished basement and/or finished attic.” 

He continued, “The singles, they all have two-car garages and space in front for additional guest parking … The (single houses) are a little bigger, 3100 square feet, also on two floors, with the option for a developed basement and attic, and they'll have two-car garages.” 

When the presentation concluded, the community questions centered mostly around access to the adjacent park, the effects of construction, and further communication from the Goldenberg Group. 

Trapper emphasized that most of the construction will take place internally on the property, with occasional access to the street for things like utilities. 

One attendee asked if there would be public access through the development to Fairmount Park since many people cut across the current parking lot to access it. 

In response, Trapper said, “Right now, there's nothing as part of the plan for that. Obviously, they’re going to be people's private homes.”

Moving forward

With further community meetings and the zoning process ahead, the Goldenberg Group hopes to begin construction in fall 2026. 

Trapper said, “We have to go through the whole permanent approval process, more meetings with the community groups, and also with the city agencies.” 

He continued, “The Philadelphia zoning code does not have any provision for planned unit development, and the requirement is any home has to have frontage on the public street, that would be on Mermaid Lane. So we'll go in, and that'll be one of the variances that we'll need to get from the zoning board.” 

In response to the proposed plans, McNiff said, “I applaud the Goldenberg Group for getting input from the nearest neighbors, and it certainly shows in a much-improved project, and we look forward to working with them throughout the development review process to review any requests for support on variances.” 

Tommy Tucker can be reached at Tommy@Chesnuthilllocal.com