May 5, 1966

Thousands watch annual parade of horses and riders in Wissahickon

Wissahickon Day was early this year, and spring was late. Sunday’s popular event saw the spectators in parkas and sweaters instead of the customary sports shirts and bright spring dresses, but at least the rain desisted for the day and the annual parade drew its customary crowd of thousands, who lined the bridle paths from Northwestern Avenue all the way down to the ancient inn at Valley Green in order to witness the longest, gayest, gaudiest parade of horseflesh and equestrians in these parts.

Landlords promise to clean up littered Wyndmoor station area

The Chestnut Hill Community Association has been running a clean up, fix up campaign with an emphasis this year on particular spots: the vacant lots and public places owned, by and large, by absentee landlords. These areas, as is well known, quickly become “attractive nuisances,” magnets for unwanted wrecks of automobiles, dumpers of various kinds, and general refuse. It is to little avail to ask householders in the community to show their pride in the area by sprucing up their homes and yards with these glaring eyesores in their midst. The year 1966, however, saw the advent of a small but electric force for community betterment with the intervention of the Association, especially now that the Department of Licenses and Inspections has entered the scene.With some firm words from L&I, all three of the large property owners involved agreed they would go to work immediately.

May 6, 1976

Trolley turn-around, new SEPTA facility covered

A $25.6 million grant recently awarded to SEPTA will cover the cost of the requested top-of-the-hill trolley turn-around plus razing SEPTA’s luncheonette (8641 Germantown Ave.) and constructing a new facility (a combination restroom, locker room and waiting room). Nearly three years ago, a committee suggested that SEPTA’s trolley Route 23 enter the top-of-the-hill terminal in a direction opposite to the way it now enters — that is, right-handedly through Germantown Avenue — and that the trolley tracks be relocated to the other side of Bethlehem Pike — that is, on the Acme Market side of the trolley loop.

Bird in flight

Bird in Hand, the new thrift shop at 12 E. Highland Ave., will open May 10. Proceeds from the shop will go to the Chestnut Hill Community Fund. Bird in Hand needs donations and consignments of all seasonal clean attractive items except clothing. Especially needed are sporting goods, musical instruments, merchants’ overstock, framed pictures, bric-a-brac and small upholstered pieces of furniture in good repair. Volunteers are also needed to help in the shop.

May 8, 1986

Nalle mansion walls razed

The remaining stone walls and brick fireplace of the Nalle mansion, 145 E. Bells Mill Road, have been demolished. As the Local went to press, it learned from American Demolition Company that everything was to be torn down except the garden wall and the foundation walls that are below ground. A subdivision plan for the property, approved in 1984, called for eight lots on the 6.13 acre site. What remained of the original house was to be rebuilt as a two-family dwelling. The Nalle house was gutted by fire in 1983.

Parking Foundation vote on building legal

The vote to purchase 8426 Germantown Ave. as the headquarters for the Chestnut Hill Parking Foundation and the Chestnut Hill Development group was legal, according to a recent study. The foundation had voted to buy the building in 1985 for $152,500 but a past president of the group had challenged the legality of the deal.

May 9, 1996

Pizzeria proposed for Kay-Bee site

Representatives of Bertucci’s Brick Oven Pizzeria will appear before the Chestnut Hill Community Association’s Development Review Committee on May 20 to present plans for a restaurant proposed for the former Kay-Bee Toys store at 8514 Germantown Ave. The property is zoned C-1 which does not allow a restaurant use. A variance will be needed to allow Bertucci’s to operate at that site. An attorney for the company said “this will be a full-service restaurant that will have 170 seats and 46 tables,” plus a small takeout area.

May 4, 2006

Neighbors say no to New Covenant Church

Near neighbors to New Covenant Church voted at a meeting on April 24 not to support the city’s proposed homeless program on the church’s campus. The meeting, organized by the East and West Mt. Airy Neighbors, focused mainly on New Covenant’s relationship with the neighbors. They said the church was a poor landlord, with complaints about thrown trash and the land maintenance, though the main concern was what they saw as the church’s lack of communication and response to issues. WMAN and EMAN sent a letter to Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller, making her aware of the vote and requesting the formation of a committee. A spokesperson for her office said she planned to host more meetings. A New Covenant spokesman said that everyone has a right to their opinions and believes there are those who consider the church to be a good neighbor.

May 5, 2016

Vanna Venturi house sold after 9 months to local buyer

One of Chestnut Hill’s most significant historical locations, the Vanna Venturi house, was sold after more than nine months on the open market. While the buyer’s name and official selling price will be kept anonymous until June, the real estate agency behind the sale confirmed that the new owner is from the area and apparently wants to preserve the property as it has been maintained thus far. The last known price of the house was $1.5 million back in March. Built by famed local architect Robert Venturi for his mother in 1964, the Vanna Venturi house is one of the earliest examples of the postmodern architectural movement in America and is in the process of receiving a historic designation from the city’s Historical Commission.