Borough to demolish irreparable house, plan parking and use $5.2M in grants for Springfield Road improvements

Borough staff told council that two demolition permits were issued recently, including one for 340 North Oak (formerly the parsonage for the Potter's House Christian Church) and another for 2 West Baltimore Avenue. Staff said they certified one house as not historic and plan to demolish it to widen the corner and install a small municipal parking lot with landscaping. Nut graf: The demolition and follow-on street and sidewalk improvements are tied to separate grant funding that staff said totals about $5.2 million for the Springfield Road corridor improvements; staff said the demolition itself is expected to cost roughly $120,000 and that bids for the parking-lot and curb work will return to council for approval. The manager said the corner widening will free up parking for nearby stores along Baltimore Pike and improve a tight turning radius on Springfield Road. He said prior attempts to renovate the house left major structural walls removed and handicap access inadequate, so demolition was deemed the best option. Staff also said fence installation at a second property will begin soon and that bids for the parking lot concept are being prepared through the borough's engineering consultant. Council was told the demolition will likely take five to seven days once started, and the borough has grant funding identified for the larger sidewalk/curb work extending up Springfield Road to the Upper RV (Upper Darby) line. Ending: Staff said they will return to council with detailed parking-lot plans, bid results and implementation timelines after demolition and grant-funded corridor work are more fully scoped.