Ground Broken for New Apartments in Chalfont
Second Empire once removed: The design of the new Patriot Station at Chalfont could be a kissing cousin of Philadelphia City Hall. | Rendering: Courtesy J.G. Petrucci Company
Chalfont’s historic town center is about to get its first new building in several years. When it’s finished, however, it will be hard to distinguish from the ones that have been standing since the mid- to late 19th century.
That’s because Patriot Station at Chalfont, for which ground was broken yesterday (May 23rd), is designed to match the Victorian architecture of many Chalfont buildings, including the one it’s replacing.
The design by Minno & Wasko Architects and Planners of Lambertville, N.J., recalls a number of French-influenced structures in this region that were built in the 1870s and 1880s. The composition of its front elevation, for instance, carries with it faint echoes of Philadelphia City Hall, only in wood rather than stone and with far less ornament.
The development by J.G. Petrucci Company will consist of 69 one- and two-bedroom luxury apartments with the full complement of high-end features and fixtures. Amenities include an on-site fitness center.
The development also has a historic preservation component: The former St. James Church will be restored for use as a new restaurant.
From 1905 until it closed in 1981, the Home for the Aged of the Patriotic Order Sons of America, a nativist fraternal organization founded in 1847, operated on this site. That building was demolished to make way for this one.
The ceremonial groundbreaking crew, from left to right: Chalfont Borough Council member Marilyn Jacobson, Chalfont Borough Council Vice President John Abbot, Vice President, J. G. Petrucci Founder and President Jim Petrucci, Rosalin Petrucci of J.G. Petrucci Company, Chalfont Mayor Marilyn Becker, Chalfont Borough Council President John Engel, State Sen. Chuck McIlhinney and State Rep. Kathy Watson. | Photo: Courtesy J.G. Petrucci Company
Several local officials participated in the groundbreaking, including Chalfont Mayor Marion Becker, Borough Council President John Engel, State Rep. Kathy Watson (R-144th District) and State Sen. Chuck McIlhinney (R-10th District).
“We worked closely with Chalfont officials to bring a development to the borough that will complement its existing buildings and infrastructure—it has been a great pleasure to work with the entire team,” Petrucci Principal Greg Roberson said in a news release.
The site is located close to the center of the borough and within walking distance of Chalfont Regional Rail station. The Five Points commercial crossroads is a short drive away as well. The project is scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2017.
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