Hank’s looking to rise again

Posted by Rich Schwartzman on February 3, 2022

UPDATE From Chadds Ford Township manager Maryann Furlong: "This morning, Friday, Feb. 4, Chadds Ford Township received a preliminary/final land development application for construction of the new Hank's. As the township has done with other Hurricane Ida-affected properties, the non-residential SALDO Application fee has been waived. Township supervisors and staff, Planning Commissioners, Zoning Hearing Board members, HARB members, and consultants will do everything possible to expedite the review process.

"In order to advance the demolition process, even though no demolition permit or HARB applications have been submitted, the township is adding authorization of a Certificate of Appropriateness as an agenda item to the joint Board of Supervisors/Planning Commission meeting scheduled for next Wednesday, Feb. 9, at 5 p.m. (zoom link available on township website). Gary Sharp, HARB chairman, has already indicated that his committee will do everything possible to accomplish an administrative review by Wednesday evening if a HARB application is submitted. HARB is required to review and recommend approval of demolition of any structure in the township’s Village Historic Overlay District. Once a demolition permit application is received and approved, we’ll all get to say a final farewell to Hank’s as we knew it and look forward to the new one."END UPDATE

In the ancient Greek myth, the phoenix rose from its ashes. But in Chadds Ford, Anthony and Katie Young — along with many other people — are waiting for Hank’s Place to rise again. This time, though, the resurrection won’t be from ashes but from floodwaters. The restaurant at Route 1 and Creek Road was totally flooded out in the wake of Hurricane Ida in September.

Now, the Youngs are looking to rebuild and, if the tentative plans hold up and are approved, Hank’s Place will rise again by about nine feet. When the storm surge hit on Sept. 1, Anthony Young said the restaurant was filled with water all the way to the ceiling.

To get the rebuild ball rolling, the Youngs will need to get a demolition permit from the township code officer/building inspector to raze the current structure. They’ll also need HARB approval, a possible zoning variance for a raised deck to allow outdoor dining, and approval for land development.

Katie Young said they were hoping to start the demolition this month, but they haven’t gotten approval yet. After the demolition, she said, the goal was to start construction in March and be open in September. But no one can set the timeline until the demolition starts.

If all goes well, regardless of the actual timing, the new Hank’s will be built on stilts, about nine feet higher than the current floor.

“The footprint will be essentially the same, only higher. The building is going to look big, but it’s the ramp that’s going to make it look big.” The Youngs said.

In addition to the deck, tentative reconstruction plans also include the possibility of employee parking under the restaurant. They also plan to continue using the food trailer during construction, but there’s no word on an exact location for that.

About Rich Schwartzman

Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.