Home Builders Association of Chester and Delaware Counties

HBA Newswatch

May 12, 2008

PAPER MILL PROJECT MOVES FORWARD
BOROUGH COUNCIL APPROVES CONDITIONAL-USE PLANS FOR SITE
By DANIELLE LYNCH, Staff Writer
DOWNINGTOWN — Borough Council unanimously approved conditional-use plans for the Brandywine Paper Mill revitalization project Wednesday.
The site, which is on West Lancaster Avenue across from the old log house, will be turned into a restaurant, office space and condominiums.
The plan calls for 67 condominiums, 10,986 square feet of the bank, 1,600 square feet of retail space, 5,375 square feet of restaurant space and 45,650 square feet of office space.
“I think it’s going to be a turning point for Downingtown,” said Borough Manager Stephen Sullins. “It’s been a long time coming.”
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TREDYFFRIN ZONING PLAN SIMPLY A BIG MISTAKE
Talk about the old, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” situation. Tredyffrin Township is certainly in the middle of a potential powder keg and we’re wondering just how and why this got started in the first place.
Township planners are considering whether a stretch of Route 30 between SEPTA’s Strafford and Devon stations should allow construction of walkable, mixed residential and commercial developments.
Residents haven’t expressed much opposition to this kind of zoning on the Devon-Strafford area’s shopping center properties. But some residents said they aren’t happy with a proposal allowing this zoning along Meadowbrook and Old Eagle School roads, which are near the Strafford Train Station and contain many single-family homes.
Those angry residents showed up last week at a meeting of the township planning commission and made some noise. And we certainly can understand why.
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PROJECT IS A MUCH-NEEDED LIFT FOR DOWNINGTOWN
The borough of Downingtown is poised to receive a much-needed shot in the arm now that Borough Council has approved conditional-use plans for the Brandywine Paper Mill revitalization project.
The site, off West Lancaster Avenue, will be converted into a restaurant, office space and condominiums. Council’s approval came last week, and it’s easy to see why the vote was unanimous.
Frankly, this is exactly the kind of project Downingtown has needed for some time. The developer responsible for the project, Carroll Contractors, plans to build two five-story buildings along the Brandywine. Those two buildings will be leased as office space. The other five-story building will be condominiums on four floors above a parking garage on the bottom floor. A restaurant is being planned for the former mill building, which will also contain retail space. Ninety on-site parking spaces will be available, and another 123 will be available off-site.
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