How would you improve Montgomery Avenue? | Inquirer Lower Merion
Plus, Suburban Square is looking for tenants to fill the former Di Bruno’s space.
Hi, Lower Merion! 👋
A study is currently underway to identify potential safety improvements on Montgomery Avenue and officials are looking for feedback. Also this week, Suburban Square is looking to fill the hole left by Di Bruno Bros. at the Ardmore Farmers Market, plus Narberth has barred its police from assisting ICE with immigration enforcement.
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Lower Merion Township and the Borough of Narberth are seeking residents’ feedback on how they can make Montgomery Avenue safer for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists.
At a recent community meeting, officials laid out safety issues like out-of-date pedestrian push buttons, sidewalk curb ramps, crosswalk lighting, as well as drivers speeding and weaving along the corridor.
The push to increase safety along a seven-mile stretch of Montgomery Avenue is part of a broader goal to slash traffic fatalities.
Here’s what to know about the safety study and how you can weigh in.
Suburban Square was left with a hole after Di Bruno Bros. closed its location at the Ardmore Farmers Market last week. The beloved Italian specialty grocer occupied more than half of the stalls at the market, which is now in search of new tenants.
But don’t expect another big operator to take over. Instead, it will be reconfigured for multiple food purveyors, The Inquirer’s Michael Klein reports, possibly including chefs and restaurant groups in Philadelphia.
“The idea is to break the space up into smaller units, create more cuisine diversity, and ideally replace the Italian specialty concept,” a real estate broker working with Suburban Square’s owner said.
Read more about the future of Di Bruno’s Ardmore space.
💡 Community News
Last week, Narberth’s borough council voted unanimously to bar its police from cooperating with ICE, becoming the latest Philadelphia-area municipality to take that stance. The resolution “lets the public clearly know where we stand on the issues,” Mayor Dana Edwards said.
In case you missed it, Saks Fifth Avenue is closing its longtime City Avenue location after the luxury retailer’s parent company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last month. A closing date hasn’t been announced yet.
The Lower Merion Police Department is reminding residents to lock their cars and remove any valuables from them. The push comes after the department reported 22 stolen vehicles, and 53 thefts and attempted thefts of items from motor vehicles in the fourth quarter of last year. At a committee meeting last week, Superintendent of Police Andrew Block said these are largely preventable, noting that LMPD has added patrols to areas where thefts have been taking place.
The community is mourning the death of Ann Harnwell Ashmead, a renowned classical archaeology researcher, writer, and museum curator, who died last month at the age of 96. A 1947 graduate of Lower Merion High School, Ashmead went on to earn bachelor’s, master’s, and a doctoral degree from Bryn Mawr College. She worked in the field and wrote extensively about international research documenting ancient ceramics.
A home on the 900 block of Delmont Drive was severely damaged in a fire that broke out late Tuesday night. No one was injured and the cause of the fire is under investigation. (6abc)
Three local students from Kohelet Yeshiva High School in Merion Station are part of the first cohort of a new Israeli immersion program, Nelech. The students, all from Bala Cynwyd, are spending the semester studying general academics and Torah in Israel, as well as going on field trips. (Philadelphia Jewish Exponent)
Mila’s Pup Tienda, a new pet boutique at 18 E. Lancaster Ave. in Ardmore, is hosting a soft opening on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
🏫 Schools Briefing
Reminder for families: There’s no school today through Monday, though staff will report today for professional development. The school board will host a meeting Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m. See the district’s full calendar here.
Registration is now open for new students enrolling in kindergarten or first grade next school year.
There’s just over a week left to submit an application for the Lower Merion Township Scholarship Fund, which closes Feb. 20. To be eligible, recipients must graduate from a Lower Merion School District high school, have attended one of the district’s high schools for at least two years, been a student in the district for at least four years, and be a full-time student at an accredited post-secondary education institution.
Lower Merion High School senior Dylan Steinberg recently received All State Honors from the Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association. The four-year varsity athlete scored over 70 goals and contributed to 53 assists during her high school career. She plans to continue playing soccer at Cornell University next year.
Friends’ Central School senior Ruba Abdelgalil has been named a 2026 Coca-Cola Scholar. She was selected from a pool of 107,000 applicants. The scholarship is awarded annually to seniors who have demonstrated leadership, service, and a “commitment to making a significant impact on their schools and communities.” Abdelgalil plans to attend The Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business at the University of Pennsylvania in the fall.
🍽️ On our Plate
Two restaurants, Lassan Indian Traditional and Malooga, are set to open locations in Narberth this month. Looking ahead, PopUp Bagels is planning a March debut in Ardmore.
🎳 Things to Do
📱 Screenagers: This documentary explores the impacts of social media and screen time on teenagers. There will also be a panel discussion led by Delco Unplugged, part of an organization advocating for delaying smartphones for kids. ⏰ Thursday, Feb. 12, 7-9 p.m. 💵 $10 📍 Kaiserman JCC
🎥 Roman Holiday: Catch a screening of the 1953 film starring Audrey Hepburn, for which she won an Academy Award. ⏰ Thursday, Feb. 12, 7:15 p.m. 💵 $17.75 📍 Bryn Mawr Film Institute
🍫 Yummy Valentine’s Day Treats: Kids ages 5 and up can create several edible Valentine’s Day-themed crafts. ⏰ Friday, Feb. 13, 10-11 a.m. 💵 $21.20 📍 The Candy Lab
🎶 The Legwarmers: The ‘80s tribute band will briefly transport attendees back in time. ⏰ Friday, Feb. 13, 8 p.m. 💵 $29.50-$67.28 📍 Ardmore Music Hall
❤️ Funky Brunch: Valentine’s Edition: Shop, dine, and listen to tunes from six-piece blues band Three Fourteen at this Valentine’s Day-themed event. ⏰ Sunday, Feb. 15, 11 a.m. 💵 Pay as you go 📍 Ardmore Music Hall
🏡 On the Market
This four-bedroom contemporary Penn Valley home features a two-story foyer, a living room, a family room with a wood-burning fireplace, a formal dining room, and an eat-in kitchen with granite countertops and an island. Its primary suite has a walk-in closet, a bathroom with a jetted tub, and a dedicated office that leads to a private balcony. Other features include a finished basement with a half bathroom, as well as a fenced yard. There are open houses next Thursday from 11 a.m. to noon, next Friday from noon to 1 p.m., and next Saturday and Sunday from noon to 2 p.m.
See more photos of the home here.
Price: $1.395M | Size: 3,972 SF | Acreage: 0.41
🗞️ What other Lower Merion residents are reading this week:
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