Greylock’s future is still unanswered as the Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) delayed a final decision again at a hearing on Oct. 23. 

The drawn-out legal rigmarole has stretched across several ZBA hearings, dating back to March of this year. Now, final written statements are due on Nov. 1. The ZBA will take a public vote after the statements are in, the date of which has yet to be announced.

At the last meeting, ZBA Chair William Bergman said "I think we have an understanding of how long it's going to take, and we will do everything we can to finish this the next time we get together."

The property, currently zoned for single-family use, has not been used as a private residence since World War II. Since then, it has been used by different organizations but has not been occupied in decades. Rhombus Properties, led by Lavi Shenkman, acquired the property in late 2022.

The last residential tenants were the Missionary Sisters and Servants of the Blessed Virgin Mary, according to the Chestnut Hill Conservancy. Ownership of the property was transferred to USABankShares.com and vBank in 2000.

Built in 1901, the property consists of an 18,000-square-foot, 22-room mansion at the top of the hill at 209 W. Chestnut Hill Ave. The property is currently zoned for single-family use, with the developers seeking permission to build multifamily housing.

Shenkman's plan calls for multi-family housing and three new buildings on the site, requiring a zoning variance. However, zoning approval would be just the first hurdle. The property is governed by strict historic easements, protecting the mansion and surrounding open space. To move forward with the project, Shenkman would need the Chestnut Hill Conservancy to amend the terms of the easement. The Conservancy has not yet said whether it would take that step.

Wednesday’s hearing focused solely on a handful of statements read by S. David Fineman, a lawyer representing opposing neighbors.

The first statement came from Brad Bank and Daryl Stoner, who objected to the variance requests, calling it “unnecessary and will alter and adversely impact the character of the neighborhood.” Bank and Stoner are part of a group of near neighbors who have organized to fight the project, citing the preservation easements that prohibit it.

After the statements were read, Amy Boyd, a representative of the Philadelphia Planning Commission made recommendations to the ZBA about granting variances on the property. 

The Planning Commission recommended that ZBA grant variances for tree replacement and steep slope. They also recommended approval for multi-family household living within existing structures, not for the additional buildings called for in the current proposal. The commission recommended maintaining the current single-family zoning, citing the developer's failure to demonstrate economic hardship for proposed new construction.

After the recommendation, Bergman asked for written closing statements from both councils by Nov. 1st. When Fineman wanted to ask one more question, Bergman loudly exclaimed “Nothing else, we're done.”

This story was updated on Nov. 5, correcting an error with the interpretation of the Planning Commission's statement.