A proposed development at 7600 Germantown Ave. faced an unexpected setback when Councilmember Cindy Bass' office raised objections at a recent zoning hearing, despite having support from West Mt. Airy Neighbors (WMAN).

Scott Seibert, co-owner of real estate development firm Bancroft Green, presented the project to the Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) on Jan. 15. The development would transform the site of a historic coal company building, which has long served as a gateway between Chestnut Hill and Mt. Airy, into eight new townhouses while converting the existing historic structure into a business space, potentially a cafe.

The project requires zoning variances since the lot is currently zoned for a single-family home – a use it has never served. Seibert needs approval to build multiple units and allow mixed-use development for the potential business.

Just before the ZBA's likely vote scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 22, Charles Richardson, Bass' chief of staff, voiced opposition, calling the site a "horrible location." He cited safety concerns related to speeding and traffic, particularly given the larger development planned across the street.

"One of the main concerns is the fact that there's too much traffic and too much density in that area, so the councilwoman is opposed," Richardson said. "The fact that (the developer) put a lot of thought into it and everything is good, but it's not a great location for that type of development."

Richardson emphasized that these concerns were heightened by the adjacent development across Germantown Avenue, which he noted is "going to have 114 units."

Notably, while Bass' office had designated WMAN as the coordinating registered community organization (RCO) for the project, her concerns hadn't been raised during the public meeting process. WMAN held a public meeting for the project on Dec. 4.

"No one from Councilwoman Bass' office attended our December 4, 2024 meeting," Ralph Pinkus, WMAN Zoning Committee chair, told the Local.

Steve Kendall, board president of WMAN, confirmed this, stating, "I do not recall anyone at our RCO meeting on that project raising questions about safety concerns of cars from those eight townhomes or the little food shop turning onto Germantown Avenue." He added that "to my knowledge, Councilperson Bass's office had not conveyed such concerns to our Zoning Committee."

The Local reached out to Bass' office for comment but has not received a response.

The developer's lawyer, Alan Nochumson, expressed surprise at the opposition. 

"We were honestly shocked, we really did a lot of hard work within the community," he said. "To say that after careful review and consideration, this project raises significant concerns that conflict with the interest and well being of the surrounding community is shocking. Honestly, I was going to do a victory lap after giving my presentation. Out of all of my projects today, I was like, 'Wow, this is the easiest one,' and I jinxed myself, of course."

WMAN's support for the project remains strong. Kendall noted that their zoning committee viewed the project "as an architecturally thoughtful addition of a much-needed housing type on a difficult site and that it met or exceeded all sustainability standards of energy-efficient building construction."

The property itself is larger than it appears from street view – a 50,000-square-foot parcel that extends in a narrow configuration along Wissahickon Valley Park and the former Fort Washington Branch rail line. The existing structure, built in 1916 as the headquarters of St. Martin's Coal Company, has served as storage and office space since 2002.

The site's industrial history is significant. Trains once delivered coal, and later oil, to a loading structure behind the office building, where fuel was distributed to heat local homes. This industrial past has designated the property as a Brownfield site — land previously used for industrial or commercial purposes that may require environmental assessment.

Seibert had previously expressed optimism about the project's potential, telling the Local that he sees it as "an opportunity to really hold up as a good example of what you can do with old Brownfield sites, in terms of what we think is a thoughtful development that is going to benefit the community at large."

After the hearing, David Fecteau, representing the Philadelphia Planning Commission, recommended that "the board grant the proposed use and dimensional variances."

The ZBA will vote on the project during the 2 p.m. session on Wednesday, Jan. 22.

Tommy Tucker can be reached at Tommy@ChestnutHillLocal.com