Radnor drops plans to turn an old veterinary hospital into a local district court
The township ended plans to convert the former home of St. George Hunt Memorial Veterinary Hospital into a courthouse following a thorough review of the site and “vital feedback” from residents.
Radnor Township has abandoned plans to purchase a shuttered veterinarian’s office and convert it into a local courthouse following pushback from neighbors.
The township has canceled plans to acquire 405 W. Wayne Ave., the former home of St. George Hunt Memorial Veterinary Hospital, following a “thorough review of the site and vital feedback” from residents regarding infrastructure, traffic, financial issues, and “neighborhood compatibility,” according to a statement released Thursday.
Radnor’s board of commissioners “remains committed to fiscal responsibility and to ensuring that civic developments properly align with the character and practical needs of our residential communities,” the statement read.
The township had set out to purchase the Wayne building and convert it into Radnor’s magisterial district court, which, due to a struggle to find a local home, has been located in Newtown Square for the last three years. Officials said the township would purchase the building for $1.45 million and convert it into a courthouse, then lease it back to Delaware County, which would pay Radnor back over the course of 10 years. Bringing the district court back to Radnor would cut down on travel time and costs for residents and law enforcement officers, township officials said.
Magisterial district courts typically handle minor criminal cases, landlord-tenant disputes, traffic cases, and civil cases involving amounts up to $12,000.
Commissioners at a July meeting said that the township had looked extensively for a commercial space to house the district court and that the Wayne location presented the most realistic option. The former veterinary hospital was selected for its parking availability, commercial zoning, and price.
The proposal faced considerable pushback from residents, who said a courthouse would be a poor fit for the largely residential neighborhood. Many warned of traffic concerns, a lack of parking, and the safety of holding court proceedings in an area with children and families. Some called the plan “ridiculous” and “not appropriate.”
While the former veterinarian’s office is no longer on the table, “the fundamental need to find a suitable home for our local court remains,” the township’s statement read.
The commissioners plan to host a public information session to provide information about the magisterial district court, the court’s day-to-day operations, and the reasoning for bringing the court back into the township’s bounds. No date or time has been set for the meeting.
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