Casting Lots: Dividing up H-Town properties and the case of 101 Tenby Road

HERE WE GO AGAIN Another controversy is brewing in the Llanerch neighborhood. As the state of the Llandillo school building is still up in the air (Carelink has dropped their appeal to the Commissioners vote-down. The building’s future is not known), residents are debating the proposed razing of an old house on a picturesque corner lot. The c. 1905, 4500 square foot, 6-bedroom, 4+ bath house at 101 Tenby Road is situated on a double lot (lots 76 and 77 deed to a Charles S. Taylor in 1901) at the corner of Bewley and Tenby Roads. The house, with a rich history of owners, was most recently the 40-year home to Mrs. Deal and her family. Mrs. Deal died in 2013 and the house is being sold by her estate. Mr. Deal, Mrs. Deal’s widower, is still in residence but plans to move to a smaller abode after the sale. According to slated buyer and contractor Rick Fuller, the property had fallen into dire structural straits over the past several years. The repair costs alone, according to the Realtor John Ryan, would hover around $300,000. Mr. Fuller is set to purchase the property for $350,000, winning out over other builders’ bids. That would put a private resident’s costs over $650,000 to purchase the property and bring it to livable standards. Fuller plans to raze the building and build two homes on the 17,800 square foot lot, resulting in two lots of about 8400 square feet (according to Mr. Ryan, this puts the lots at about 150 square feet larger than 85% of lots in Llanerch). The proposed plans include large covered porches and have been designed to compliment the neighborhood and to mimic neighborhood aesthetics that are pre-WW2. MEETUP MONDAY NIGHT Llanerch resident and president of the Board of Llanerch Civic Association Brian Elias sent an email to area neighbors Friday morning informing residents of an upcoming town hall meeting to discuss the process of subdividing lots in the township. The meeting has been organized to give residents a chance to discuss the legal … [Read more...]