By next month, Blossom Philadelphia will complete the sale of its Chestnut Hill property to the Goldenberg Group for $4 million. by Sue Ann Rybak Blossom Philadelphia, formerly United Cerebral Palsy …
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By next month, Blossom Philadelphia will complete the sale of its Chestnut Hill property to the Goldenberg Group for $4 million.by Sue Ann Rybak
Blossom Philadelphia, formerly United Cerebral Palsy of Philadelphia, will sell its 4.4-acre Chestnut Hill property to the Goldenberg Group, a real estate developer based in Blue Bell, for $4 million. The sale is expected to take place next month.
Blossom, a nonprofit that used to operate day programs for adults and children with a wide variety of special needs, closed its doors on Dec. 31, 2018.
“At the request of the Charitable Trusts Section of the Office of Attorney General Josh Shapiro, the Orphans’ Court has escrowed the sale proceeds from the real estate and Blossom is required to file an accounting with the court of its past administration of its assets on or by May 1,” said Joe Grace, a spokesperson for the Attorney General’s office.
The Goldenberg Group has done business in Chestnut Hill before. It currently owns the Gravers Lane Gallery at 8405 Germantown Ave. and previously owned the building in which it is located before selling it to Bowman Properties in 2014. The company has developed residential and commercial properties around the Philadelphia area, including the Metroplex shopping center in Plymouth Meeting.
In October, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) revoked Blossom’s license to operate 32 community homes for adults with intellectual and physical disabilities after inspectors found “gross incompetence” at the nonprofit.
Later that year, Blossom announced that it would transition its residential services for adults with intellectual disabilities to other providers. During the transition, under the state's supervision, a 60-year-old man, who had cerebral palsy and was on a diet of pureed food, choked to death after being given a slice of pizza.
In January 2018, Blossom officially sold its group homes to four social service providers: the Barber National Institute, JEVS Human Services, The Salvation Army and KenCrest.
Orphans' Court Judge Matthew D. Carrafiello approved the sale on March 19 and ordered Blossom to provide an accounting for its restricted charitable funds between Jan. 1, 2017, through March 31 by May 1.
Sue Ann Rybak can be reached at 215-248-8804 or sueann@chestnuthilllocal.com
