The Zoning Board of Adjustment approved ArchWell Health's proposal to turn the former Rite Aid at the corner of Tulpehocken Street and Germantown Avenue into a primary care facility for seniors.

Meredith Trego, a lawyer representing ArchWell Health, presented the project to the ZBA on Wednesday, Feb. 19, receiving unanimous approval from the board.

ArchWell Health operates locations nationwide, with this potentially becoming its first in Pennsylvania. In addition to primary care, the company provides classes and events for seniors, ranging from nutrition education to chair yoga.

To operate a primary care facility in the building, ArchWell Health required a special exception from the ZBA. With approval secured, the company will convert the space to fit its needs and open one of two planned Philadelphia locations presented to the board.

"ArchWell Health provides primary care services to adults ages 60 and older. They have an average patient age of 72," Trego said. "There is a growing need for doctors and medical professionals across the country, including in Philadelphia, specifically for the senior population, as approximately 10,000 to 11,000 people age into Medicare each day."

The company was founded in 2020 and has 52 locations nationwide with plans to expand to 100 by year's end. At the same hearing, the company received approval for another location at a former Rite Aid at 6101 N. Broad St. in Ogontz.

The Germantown location will have "roughly 35 full-time staff, which includes physicians, nurse practitioners and nurses, medical assistants and support staff," Trego said.

"ArchWell looks to fill these positions from within the community as much as possible," she added.

The building at 6201 Germantown Ave., which is owned by Dierke’s Enterprises, has remained vacant since the Rite Aid closed in April 2023.

At the ZBA hearing, Trego presented a letter of support from the 59th Ward, the coordinating Registered Community Organization that held a meeting on the project. The 59th Ward submitted three requests with their support.

The first request was for ArchWell Health to improve the property's landscaping.

"We are happy to do that, provided our lease allows us to, if there are no conflicts there. We are a lessee at this property, we do not own it," Trego said. "We want to make this an attractive site. ArchWell wants its patients to come to a very attractive and welcoming place and wants to have a good look within the community."

The second request was to remove the drive-through awning attached to the building.

"It's a structural component to the building, so even aside from issues related to the budget for altering the structure like this, we do not have the authority under our lease agreement with the owner to do anything to the exterior of the building," Trego said. "This was a request that we unfortunately are not able to comply with."

The last request was for ArchWell Health to allow nearby residents to use their parking lot after operating hours, which are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Again, the company said it could not comply with this request since it doesn’t own the property. Trego noted that non-accessory parking is not a by-right use in the lot's zoning, so compliance would require another variance.

"The community was very engaged, and we appreciated their feedback, and certainly appreciate their support moving forward," said Seth Dickey, associate vice president of market development at ArchWell Health. "We will guarantee that the landscape will be unified, and we will make sure it's an attractive place for the neighbors and our patients."

Since becoming vacant, the lot has been a point of contention with the local community. The back lot of the former Rite Aid became a prime spot for illegal dumping. The mix of trash and construction waste continued to pile up, with nearby neighbors complaining about it on the Changing Germantown Facebook group.

The complaints caught the attention of newly elected state Rep. Andre Carroll, who contacted the Streets Department to clean up the lot.

With the lot cleaned, several members of the Facebook group expressed hope that a new tenant would move into the building or that the owners would install a fence to prevent further dumping.

The Local reached out to ArchWell Health about their timeline for opening but has not received a response.

An ArchWell Health spokesperson previously told The Local that "As an organization focused on access to quality healthcare for older adults, we believe neighborhoods in the Philadelphia area will greatly benefit from our primary care services."