Right Plan for Radnor puts face to Villanova expansion resistance
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Right Plan for Radnor puts face to Villanova expansion resistance
Officially created less than 48 hours ago, the Right Plan for Radnor is a collective of local community members who oppose Villanova’s plan to expand along Lancaster Avenue in present form.
Calling Villanova’s plan “too big, too much and too risky,” Radnor resident Kevin Geary said one of the Right Plan for Radnor’s goals will be to protect families from an expansion that could negatively affect their property values and public welfare.
“This is the biggest construction project in Radnor’s history,” Geary said. “Villanova is an important community partner, but they’re proposing something that’s not within township law. This is beyond a ‘not in my backyard’ mentality.”
So far, the Right Plan for Radnor has 50 members, a Facebook page and the intention of going door-to-door this weekend in search of support.
“We’re all very well-educated, and we’re all professionals,” Right Plan for Radnor member Joe Vandergeest said. “We want to develop some transparency and open dialogue.”
Villanova will ask the Board of Commissioners for an ordinance amendment in order to build its proposed development, which includes a five-story parking garage, an approximately 1,160-bed residence hall, additional retail space and a performing arts center, though the latter won’t be built unless the university can raise a sufficient amount of funds. The height and setback of the buildings do not adhere to the township’s zoning code.
“I think you might be able to get the residents of Radnor Township to really understand what happens during the process [of development],” Vandergeest added. “Your local government can affect your present and future.”
Vandergeest lives in the Old Oaks neighborhood, and his backyard backs up to Villanova’s Pike Field. Across the street is where the parking garage will be built. If the plans pass the Board of Commissioners, Vandergeest said he would move. Currently, he said his home is valued between $500,000 and $600,000. After speaking with his mortgage company and local real estate professionals, Vandergest said his home’s value could plummet to around $300,000 to $400,000 if Villanova’s plans go through.
Though residents against the expansion continually acknowledge the good that comes from Villanova’s place in the community, the Right Plan for Radnor’s purpose is to make sure the university presents what the group is named after: the right plan.
“Villanova has presented this plan, and you can’t pick and choose what works,” Geary said. “We’ve got to look at what’s in front of us, and we’re opposed to that plan.”
The Right Plan for Radnor will officially meet March 20 at 7 p.m. at 903 Conestoga Rd., the day before Radnor township manager Bob Zienkowski plans to meet with community members to create a list of concerns to present to the board.
- A fair number of upperclassmen would have stayed on campus. Some already do; when I was there, female engineers and nurses, among others, were given senior year housing.
There are also always a number of freshmen who get squeezed into triples (3 beds in a room meant for two); this could alleviate that, along with allowing the university to stop housing freshmen in the strange little houses at the west end of campus (Delurey, Simpson, ODwyer).— DeltaV - If you haven't done your homework and you haven't attended a meeting you shouldn't be making off the cuff comments pro or con. Radnor residents have every right to express their opinion, they are tax payers VU is not. There is no real estate tax paid by VU and there is no income tax for employees that work in Radnor. VU made the decision to not install the walk bridge and so stated that at meetings we recentlyattended. They also two weeks ago) decided to impement automatic controls for the stadium lights to be turned off at appropriate times. This was only after complaints at the township meeting that VU has ignored the neighborhood phone calls, complaints for years. VU does not 'walk the talk'— Lachal
- Um, Lachal, I guess that you haven't done your homework since you are making the same off-the-cuff comments that you so self-righteously accuse others of doing. No income tax for employees that work in Radnor? In addition to the federal and state taxes that all VU employees pay, they also contribute $52 EACH per year to Radnor Township through an earnings tax. Look, here it is... right on the Township's website: http://www.radnor.com/department/division.php?fDD=10-185
Maybe you should pay more attention when you are at those meetings?— mh83 - Incredible....In NJ (Voorhees) they are upset with a Hospital (Virtua) for being there and increased traffic, and now in Radnor , they are upset over a univeristy (Villanova) enlarging their campus......Seems like the selfish residents of both towns have place their own selfish agenda above the greater good of both instituions.....but then again, the small minded stuffed shirts forget that the value to the area,community, city, county, etc of either institution is of far greater importance than thier shallow hollow lives.....but then again, this is America, the land of the "ME First, Everyone else does not matter......sad— nuggett
- If you call selfish wanting your Township to be the best place to live. Call us selfish.
If you call asking a non-tax paying University to live within Radnor law. Call us selfish.
If you call having concerns about home values in a time where the housing is struggling and seniors may have a hard time selling their home. Call us selfish.
If you call having concerns about Villanova's secret plan to raise enrollment. Call us small minded.
If you call losing our tax base and seeing cuts to education and larger tax increase for everyone in our townships. Call us stuff shirts.
If you call Villanova violating for years Township law call us stuff shirts.
But when you know the facts. You call us responsible.— The Right Plan for Radnor - Can you really take yourself seriously as an organization claiming that the University doesn't pay taxes? Perhaps not property taxes, but the University is the largest employer in Delaware County and each of its employees pays an earnings tax to Radnor Township. The University and its students contribute nearly $51 million per year to the Township. http://www1.villanova.edu/content/dam/villanova/president/EconomicAndCommunityImpact2011.pdf — mh83
Comment removed.- Rosemont (most of it) is in Radnor Township. Part of it is in Lower Merion. — The Right Plan for Radnor
- Comment removed.
- In the end Villanova wins.— BobSG
- It's not about winning or losing. But about developing the Right Plan for our township. — The Right Plan for Radnor
- It's not about winning or losing. But about developing the Right Plan for our township. — The Right Plan for Radnor
- jimmyjambandjames: I notice you comment on almost every blog. And you continue to express your inane opinions with no actual understanding of the situation. Do you also post as Discobiscuit or are there two clueless people gracing our discussion?— jimmymack
- This project must get done and will get done. Villanova needs to take measures to ensure that the land on its campus is utilized in the most efficient manner. Villanova is trying to be a good neighbor and bring more students on campus.
This community group may have good intentions but it needs to look at the big picture. I am old enough to remember all of the misguided oposition to Route 476 in Delaware County standing in the way of necessary improvements. Where are those peopletoday? These folks are complaining that there are too few traffic lanes south of Route 3!— paukh - Why must it be done? Do you live in Radnor? Work for the University? Part of the design team? If so please disclose.
1,160 additional students on campus sounds nice at first. But it is the way the University is doing it that concerns us.
They say it will be upper classmen coming back. Must upper classman have said they wouldn't move back to campus. 5 story buildings, parallel parking on Lancaster ave in the middle of rush hour traffic. 6 story parking garages. Possible storm water issues.
We do have good intentions and we are looking at the big picture. 20 to 30 years big.— The Right Plan for Radnor
