February 22, 2024 - ChaddsFordLive.com

Hearing continued for Gables

_1JF3960-GAbles-B&B — The house on the corner of Brintons Bridge Road and Route 1 next to The Gables could become a B&B.

Pennsbury Township opened a conditional use hearing Wednesday night for the owners of the Gables Restaurant to possibly have a bed and breakfast. The B&B would use two adjacent structures next to the restaurant.

Those two structures are a stone house and a carriage house at 1301 Brinton’s Bridge Road, on the corner of Brinton’s Bridge and Route 1. The stone house — the former location of Brandywine View Antiques — is on the National Register and is classified as a Class 1 Historic Resource in Pennsbury.

Gables’ owners Ann Kolenik and Alfredo Giannaccari first took the matter to the township Planning Commission last year. During that session, township solicitor Tom Oeste said 22 conditions must be met for a B&B.

Giannaccari testified Wednesday night that a B&B is the best possible use for the two buildings. He said they tried to find tenants to rent out the stone house, but there were no takers.

There are eight bedrooms in each of the two buildings, five bathrooms in the stone house, and four in the carriage house. There is also room for a studio apartment to be used by the B&B operator, Giannaccari said. Whether or not the operator would need to live there full-time or only when there are guests is something that needs to be determined.

Giannaccari also said they plan to have an onsite septic system and is waiting for Chester County to approve that.

Parking does not appear to be an issue. A total of 19 spaces are needed for the B&B, one for each of the 16 bedrooms, one more for the operator, plus two more. Kolenik said last year that they have that number.

There will be no cooking in either of the two buildings. The Gables will provide breakfast but might cater gatherings for guests. In addition, Giannaccari said, there may be an agreement with nearby Margie’s Cuisine to deliver lunches.

The maximum length of stay would be 14 nights.

The hearing was continued to March 20. Kolenik and an architect from Kloppman Architects are expected to testify then.

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.

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Road Report for Feb. 24 through March 1

Along the Ford

PennDOT has announced the following weather-dependent road projects that could affect drivers in the greater Chadds Ford area from Feb. 24 through March 1. Motorists are urged to allow extra time traveling through one of the construction zones. Work schedules are subject to change.

• Utility construction will cause daytime lane closures on Route 1 between Greenwood Road and Orchard Avenue in East Marlborough Township through March 1.

• Motorists should expect a 24/7 lane closure on Route 1 between Orchard and Greenwood avenues in East Marlborough Township because of a house being moved out of the right of way. That is expected to last through April 26.

• Drilling will cause daytime lane closures on Birmingham Road at its intersection with Country Club Road in Birmingham Township from Feb. 12 through April 30.

• Overhead utility work will cause lane closures on Burrows Run Road between Route 52 and Hillendale Road in Kennett Township through March 29.

• Intersection improvements at South and Cypress streets in Kennett Square and Kennett Township, are scheduled to continue through April 30. Weekday road closures are set for South Street between Center and Broad streets in the borough, and on Cypress between Walnut Street and Cope Road in the township.

• Comcast will be performing fiber optic cable installation on Baltimore Pike between Cedar Spring Road and Buena Vista Drive in New Garden Township, through Friday, March 15, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. causing a weekday traffic shift with a possibility of work on Saturday.

• PECO utility improvements will cause several daytime lane closures along Route 1 in Chester County. Through March 29, there will be closures in both directions between School House Road and Ladbroke Lane.

• Through Friday, March 29, PECO work will force a daytime lane closure on Burrows Run Road between Route 52 and Hillendale Road in Kennett Township.

• Work to replace the bridge that carries Smithbridge Road over Webb Creek in Concord Township is underway. The 96-year-old bridge has been closed since July 14, following a bridge inspection that determined structure deterioration. During construction, motorists will be directed to follow the existing detour using Bethel Road, Garnet Mine Road, Route 491, and northbound Route 202. The project is scheduled to finish in late April of 2024.

• Motorists should expect lane restrictions with a detour for trucks on Route 162 at its intersection with Route 82 in Newlin Township because of bridge repair. There is currently no date for completion.

About CFLive Staff

See Contributors Page https://chaddsfordlive.com/writers/

Road Report for Feb. 24 through March 1 Read More »

Around Town Feb. 22

Along the Ford

395231_blue-poppies_mathias_-becca-_longwood-volunteer-photographer_ — Learn to capture the Blue Poppy at Longwood.

• Longwood Gardens is offering a creative arts class, Capturing Blue Poppies, with online and onsite components. The Himalayan blue-poppy (Meconopsis‘Lingholm’) is one of Longwood’s most photographed flowers. The flower’s coloration is one of the most elusive hues to capture in a photographic image. The cost of the course is $179 for non-members. The fee includes all-day admission to the Gardens on the day the class is onsite. Online sessions are on Mach 20 and 27, while the onsite session in March 23. Register here.

• On March 1, the Oxford Arts Alliance will open an exhibit, Face Of Farming featuring the photography of Kathleen Buckalew. Face of Farming celebrates the warmth, joy, and humanness of the people and places that provide our daily sustenance and indelibly bind our well-being to these earthbound, unsung stewards. Oxford Arts Alliance is located at 38 S Third St, Oxford, PA 19363. For more information on this art space, visit https://www.oxfordart.org/.

• The Chris Sanderson Museum is now offering a First Sunday event beginning Sunday, 3 March, from noon to 4 p.m. and the first Sunday of every month after that. It’s a pay-as-you-wish event. The box by the front door is the Bean Pot, so drop in a bit to help a 100% volunteer organization. Do it either when you come in or after you are amazed by what Chris Sanderson collected over his lifetime. He was a teacher, musician, historian, lecturer, radio broadcaster, tour guide for the Battle of Brandywine, Valley Forge, Gettysburg, a friend of the Wyeths, and more. For questions leave a message at 610-388-6545 or email info@sandersonmuseum.org or see our website at www.sandersonmuseum.org

• The Delaware County Symphony continues its Cultural Celebration season with a special concert exploring the musical heritage of Latin America with the South of the Border Symphony Concert on Sunday, March 3, at 3 p.m. The program features guest soloist Jordan Dodson on guitar. Dodson, described by Performance Today as “one of the top young guitarists of his generation” was the first guitarist to graduate from the Curtis Institute of Music’s new guitar program and won Astral Artists’ National Auditions the same year. He joins the orchestra for a rare performance of the Guitar Concerto by Hector Villa-Lobos. Click here to purchase tickets.

• The Brandywine Pops Orchestra — with new President Betsy Del Vecchio and new Treasurer Leon Wolf — is looking for more musicians who play an orchestral instrument and are proficient in reading music. Particularly welcome are senior players and home-schooled and high school students who are looking for more opportunities to collaborate and perform. Anyone interested should contact Del Vecchio at President@brandywinepops.org

• Penn State Extension Chester County will be hosting a 4-H Babysitting Training Class to help prepare youth for babysitting. This program will be held March 27, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Phoenixville Middle School. The class is designed to help prepare youth ages 11 and older for babysitting. The cost for the 4-H Babysitting Training Class is $25 and is being co-sponsored by the Phoenixville Area Police Athletic League. This program is open to any youth, and 4-H membership is not required. Register here. The registration deadline is March 20. Questions can be directed to the Penn State Extension Chester County Office at ChesterExt@psu.edu or 610-696-3500.

About CFLive Staff

See Contributors Page https://chaddsfordlive.com/writers/

Around Town Feb. 22 Read More »