How local couples are aging in place | Inquirer Lower Merion
Plus, Main Line Health’s highest-paid non-CEO employees.
Happy (almost) Halloween, Lower Merion!
Local couples are reimagining their homes to ensure they can adapt to their changing needs. Here’s a look at how. Also this week, we break down the highest paid non-CEO employees at Main Line Health and look at what to expect on Tuesday’s ballot. Plus, the group behind White Dog Cafe has been ordered to pay two former employees over its mishandling of sexual harassment.
Hope the rest of your week is spooktacular! See you back here next Thursday.
— Lisa Dukart (lowermerion@inquirer.com)
Inquirer Lower Merion
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Homeowners across the region are finding ways to age safely in their homes, integrating long-term plans into their designs or renovating for adaptability.
Narberth couple Beth and David Mark, who recently added a first-floor primary suite, have lived in their home for decades and wanted to ensure they could stay as they age. That was particularly important after David suffered a cycling accident 10 years ago, making them realize the difficulties of navigating stairs.
Another couple in Villanova took a slightly different approach when they built their home in 2017, including a first-floor primary bedroom suite and an apartment above their garage, which could one day accommodate a caregiver.
💡 Community news
The general election is Tuesday, and the governor’s seat is the top race. Unsure what else is on your ballot? Check out The Inquirer’s guide to the midterms here.
Two Main Line Health physicians and the system’s former chief operating officer were among the highest-paid non-CEO employees at the region’s nonprofit health systems in 2024, according to a recent Inquirer report. See how much they made here.
Former Haverford resident and Haverford School headmaster Joseph T. Cox died earlier this month at the age of 80. Cox was an Army veteran, professor, author, and poet remembered for his “incredible way of making sure every student knew they mattered.”
The number of children in the county declined 3.1% between 2010 and 2025, part of a larger trend of people having fewer children regionally and nationally, according to an Inquirer analysis of Census Bureau data. The Inquirer’s Dana Munro unpacks the decline.
Suburban Square is welcoming two new businesses this weekend. Running brand On debuts tomorrow and has grand opening events planned through Sunday. And fitness studio Barry’s is opening its outpost at Coulter Place on Saturday, featuring locker rooms, a boutique, and its signature red room with fitness classes.
🗺️ Other nearby news
Developer Brian O’Neill is targeting a 60-acre vacant lot in West Conshohocken Borough for a proposed three-story data center. O’Neill owns the property, which was previously a quarry, a cement plant, and a solid-waste disposal site.
Radnor Township is considering a zoning amendment that would limit data center development to two office park districts and set other limitations.
A Chestnut Hill home spanning more than 8,000 square feet is on the market for $4.25 million. The home has a media room, a 1,500-bottle wine cellar, and a primary suite with a large dressing room. Take a peek inside.
🏫 Schools briefing
Shawn Bernatowicz, Penn Wynne Elementary School’s longtime principal, plans to retire at the end of this school year. Search plans for his successor will be announced in the coming weeks.
🍽️ On our plate
Fearless Restaurants, the group behind White Dog Cafe and other popular regional eateries, has been ordered to pay $200,000 to two former employees. They alleged Fearless mishandled sexual harassment at the group’s Italian restaurant, Rosalie, in Wayne.
PokeOno, the Hawaiian-style eatery at 59 W. Lancaster Ave. in Ardmore, has closed. Founder Andrew Danieli plans to launch a new venture focused on to-go dried and flavored thin-sliced yellowfin.
🎳 Things to do
👻 Gladwyne Trunk-or-Treat: Kids can show off their costumes and score sweet treats during this family-friendly event. ⏰ Friday, Oct. 30, 3:40-5:30 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Gladwyne Park
🎃 Narberth Halloween Parade: Families will parade through Narberth, ending in a trunk-or-treat at Narberth Park. ⏰ Friday, Oct. 30, 6:30 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Throughout Narberth
🍿 Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: South Ardmore Betterment Alliance will screen the 1989 comedy outdoors. ⏰ Friday, Oct. 30, 7 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Normandy Park
🗳️ Election Day Camp: Kids can make edible crafts on their day off from school. ⏰ Tuesday, Nov. 3, 10-11 a.m. 💵 $21.20 📍 The Candy Lab
🏡 On the market
Located in the Gladwyne neighborhood of Northwood, this four-bedroom home features a first-floor primary suite with a soaking tub and two walk-in California Closets. Other features include a double-sided fireplace in the family room and a bar area in the finished basement. There’s also a wine cellar, media room, and bonus room with a full bathroom downstairs, while outside there’s a patio and a built-in grill. There’s an open house Saturday from noon to 2 p.m.
See more photos of the home here.
Price: $1.7M | Size: 6,482 SF | Acreage: 0.05
🗞️ What other Lower Merion residents are reading this week:
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