Gladwyne residents are split on town revitalization plan | Inquirer Lower Merion
Plus, a look inside a Gladwyne estate on the market for $8.5 million.
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Gladwyne residents are divided on a proposal to revitalize the town center. Here’s what they’re saying. Also this week, we take a peek inside a more than 9,000-square-foot Gladwyne home listed for $8.5 million, a man has been sentenced for his involvement in the death of a woman in a wheelchair in 2024, plus a new restaurant is taking over the former il Fiore space.
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Gladwyne residents are mixed on their support for a sweeping revitalization proposal of the town center, plans for which were revealed just a few weeks ago.
Led by design firm Haldon House and backed by billionaire Jeff Yass, the project calls for historic architecture, green spaces, and businesses that “fit the character” of the area, The Inquirer’s Denali Sagner reports.
One resident called the proposed changes an “absolute no-brainer,” but others are skeptical, particularly about one group having so much say over the town center. It’s even prompted a petition.
This Gladwyne estate situated on 12.76 acres on Country Club Road is on the market for $8.5 million. While the lot size is rare for the area, and provides plenty of privacy, a future owner has the option to subdivide it into three parcels.
The property includes a more than 9,000-square-foot main home that was designed for entertaining. It has six bedrooms, eight full bathrooms, two kitchens, an elevator, a sauna, and a pool.
Take a look inside the home and at its sprawling grounds.
💡 Community News
The region saw its largest snowstorm in a decade over the weekend, with many spots recording more than nine inches, including Penn Wynne, which saw 9.4 inches, according to one figure reported to the National Weather Service — and there’s a small chance more is on the way this weekend. Freezing temperatures are expected to remain this week, meaning the snow and ice aren’t going anywhere. Check out a map of where the most snow fell.
Jamal McCullough was sentenced on Friday to three to six years in a state prison after fatally hitting 61-year-old Tracey Cary as she crossed City Avenue in her wheelchair in 2024. While prosecutors said McCullough was not at fault since Cary wasn’t in a posted crosswalk, he fled the scene, which carries criminal penalties. Cary’s sister said the hearing offered a chance to give the public a more complete picture of her sister, who was unhoused and had a love of reading, traveling, and the outdoors.
There’s a public meeting on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Lower Merion Township Building to discuss the Montgomery Avenue Corridor Traffic Calming and Safety Action Plan. The study, which is supported by a Safe Streets and Roads for All grant, focuses on Montgomery Avenue between Spring Mill Road and City Avenue, assessing things like traffic volume and crashes. Lower Merion Township and the Borough of Narberth will use the data and the public’s feedback to help improve safety.
St. Matthias Catholic Church’s former business manager, Sean Michael Sweeney, who is accused of stealing $1.1 million from the Bala Cynwyd institution, has been ordered to stand trial and is scheduled for an arraignment hearing on Feb. 25. (Main Line Times)
Club Studio Fitness is planning a late 2026 opening for its Wynnewood Shopping Center location. The high-end gym is taking over the 50,000-square-foot former Bed Bath & Beyond space and is known for premium amenities like cryotherapy and red-light therapy, a juice bar, and stretch stations.
The township’s planning commission will discuss a preliminary land development proposal for a portion of 1400 Waverly Rd. in Gladwyne on Monday. Retirement community Waverly Heights is seeking to demolish seven semi-attached single-family villas and put three buildings in their place. Two three-story buildings would be identical and house 12 units each, while the third would add 12 units onto the Blair Apartment Building. Plans also call for additional parking spaces. The meeting will take place at 7 p.m. at the Township Administration Building.
Lights are likely coming to Richie Ashburn Field in Gladwyne, after the Lower Merion Board of Commissioners voted to move forward with a memorandum of understanding to allow the Lower Merion Little League to build and operate lights there. The league will pay for the lights and can’t operate them after 10 p.m. (Main Line Times)
The Bryn Mawr Film Institute recently held the region’s first public showing of Ellen Jovin’s Rebel With a Clause, an indie grammar “docu-comedy” that’s as much about syntax as it is about human connection.
Members of the Lower Merion Township Police Department have donated a collective 800 hours of their time off to their colleague Dan Gilbert. The detective’s wife was diagnosed with Stage 4 colorectal cancer last year, and in a show of support, the department rallied to give him extra time to spend with his family. His wife, Lauren Gilbert, 42, has undergone surgeries and is currently on trial medications. (CBS News Philadelphia)
🏫 Schools Briefing
Tonight is course selection night for LMHS students and tomorrow is the school choice deadline. Tomorrow is also movie night for Penn Wynne Elementary, and there are middle school conferences Tuesday evening. See the district’s full calendar here.
For families who missed last week’s eighth grade to high school transition meeting, the district posted a video from the event, which you can watch here.
The district is hosting a presentation for parents and guardians with students receiving special education services that will focus on positive behavior support. It will be held virtually via Zoom on Wednesday from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
On Saturday, LMHS is hosting the 12th Annual Hope Classic to benefit the Angelman Syndrome Foundation. Angelman Syndrome is caused by a gene change and can result in developmental delays, speech and balance problems, mental disability, and seizures, according to the Mayo Clinic. The doubleheader will see the boys and girls basketball teams take on Haverford High’s teams at 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., respectively.
🍽️ On our Plate
A new restaurant is getting ready to take over the former il Fiore space in Bryn Mawr Village. Restaurateur Alessandro “Alex” Fiorello, 28, is planning a bar-forward Italian eatery that he says will be “a step up” from his Wayne restaurant, Alessandro’s Wood Fired Italian. Expect house-made pasta, wood-fired pizzas, and dry-aged proteins at the as-yet-unnamed restaurant.
Lark is among the region’s 50 best restaurants, according to a new ranking from Philadelphia Magazine, which put Chef Nick Elmi’s Bala Cynwyd restaurant at No. 41. The outlet noted that “there’s hardly a dish that isn’t simultaneously approachable and elevated,” calling out the cavatelli with escargot and bone marrow and pork cheek agnolotti with Taleggio.
🎳 Things to Do
🌎 Ardmore Passport: World Pours: Take a trip around the world by sampling global cuisine, craft beers, and other sips at this festival-style event, which will also feature live music. ⏰ Saturday, Jan. 31, 12:30 p.m. 💵 $64.17-$124.20 📍 Ardmore Music Hall
🍿 Monday Night Movie: In honor of Groundhog Day, catch a screening of the iconic 1993 film starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell. Registration is required. ⏰ Monday, Feb. 2, 6:30-8:30 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Penn Wynne Library
🏡 On the Market
Built in 1924, this four-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bathroom Wynnewood Tudor blends past and present. This home’s first floor features a living room with a gas fireplace, a dining room, a “bonus room,” and a kitchen, with granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, and a separate coffee bar area. There are three bedrooms on the second floor, including the primary suite, which has dual closets, and an additional suite on the third level. The home also has a finished basement, a detached three-car garage, and a heated pool with a spa and waterfall. There’s an open house today from noon to 2 p.m.
See more photos of the home here.
Price: $1.15M | Size: 3,706 SF | Acreage: 0.71
📈 Lower Merion market report
Median listing price: $525,000 (down $65,000 from November) 📉
Median sold price: $699,000 (down $173,500 from November) 📉
Median days on the market: 60 (up 20 days from November) 📈
This Lower Merion market report is published on a monthly basis. Above is data for December from realtor.com.
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