Lower Merion board tells hotel CEO to modify controversial mansion renovations

A Lower Merion Township committee voted Tuesday to make a prominent hotel developer remove or modify renovations he made to his century-old mansion without permits and township approvals.

But the historical commission also conditionally approved Jay H. Shah's revised plan for a major addition he started on his 7,000-square-foot Wynnewood home.

The decision signaled a compromise of sorts over a project that had riled preservationists and raised questions about whether a successful developer openly flouted laws to preserve the township's history and character.

Shah is the CEO of Hersha Hospitality Trust, which owns dozens of hotels nationwide. The brick estate that he and his wife bought on Gypsy Lane in 2005 was built in 1906 by Philadelphia architect Frank Miles Day.

But it drew scrutiny from the township, neighbors and others after officials learned he had started work on an in-law suite and garage expansion without necessary approvals. Then they discovered other unapproved renovations from previous years.

Shah and his lawyer have since entered in negotiations with the township. On Tuesday, the commission voted to have Shah return with a new design to alter or remove a covered porch he built in the rear of his house, and repair or remove other work done to parapets and dormers on the home.

"There are so many issues that we see with these items, it's hard to let them go knowing that we would have had some influence on them had the process been followed," said Christian Busch, the commission's chairman.

The commission said an altered version of the garage and in-law suite project can continue and a back terrace and brick wall can remain in place. But before any work can be done, historical commission recommendations must go before the township's Board of Commissioners.

And other items related to the Shahs' work on the home have yet to be resolved. Among them: Whether the amount of impervious surface coverage around the home is a violation of the property's deed. If so, even more work may need to be undone.

Meanwhile, township officials have been working to calculate the building and administrative fees the Shahs must retroactively pay for the work - in addition to fines, said Chris Leswing, assistant director of planning.

George Broseman, a lawyer for the Shahs, insisted to the planning commission that his clients are working to come into compliance with township regulations. Broseman declined to comment after Tuesday's vote.

Since the township issued a stop-work order to the Shahs last year, neighbors and preservationists have expressed outrage, saying Shah should have known better than to ignore township laws.

Some urged the commission Tuesday to vote against allowing the Shahs to make any changes to their home - and force them to undo the work already completed.

"I will tell you the only reason they're participating in this process is because there's a stop-work order in place," said Tony Lame, president of the Wynnewood Civic Association. "I think you should deny [their application] and you shouldn't feel badly about denying it at all."

Jay and Susie Shah did not attend the meeting. Records show they paid $1.95 million for the property a dozen years ago.

Besides his company's hotels which include the upscale Rittenhouse in Philadelphia, Shah has a background as a real estate and construction lawyer.

Busch, the historical commission chairman, said Tuesday that Shah's application should be considered just as any other request before the panel, even though the work was already done without permission.

"I try to take everyone as they come to us," he said.

Clarification: This article has been updated to reflect that the Historical Commission recommended that a revised version of Shah's garage and in-law suite addition could be built only after he repaired or removed other changes he made to his home without permission.

mccrystal@phillynews.com

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