Smerconish’s Plan for Ardmore Condos Goes Back to the Drawing Board


This week wasn’t the first time developer Wally Smerconish tried to get permission to turn the former First Baptist Church of Ardmore, built in 1928, into condos. He petitioned the Lower Merion zoning board last summer, and despite the fact that the community was in favor of Smerconish’s proposal for adaptive reuse–this was no great preservation battle–the board was compelled to say no due to the way zoning laws were written.

In part due to that failure, things have changed enough that Smerconish felt confident to go before the board again this week with modifications to his original plan. Neighbors came out in support of the Haverford developer, but it was far from a slam dunk. The chair of the zoning board has asked Smerconish to provide still more information, this time about the parsonage.

Lower Merion zoners hear plans for change at two landmark Ardmore sites [Main Line Times]