New Target In Ardmore To Be Discussed At Wednesday Night Meeting

ARDMORE, PA – Even with members of the Lower Merion community pushing back against the proposed Ardmore Target store, Lower Merion Township is moving ahead with the project.

The township's Building and Planning Committee recently recommended the Board of Commissioners approve the plans for a proposed Target at the corner of Lancaster and Ardmore avenues, an area opponents say is already bad regarding traffic.

Township commissioners will hear the plan at Wednesday's regular meeting.

The Building and Planning Committee did reject one aspect of the proposal, however.

Officials nixed a conditional use request for the plan, which means the developer will have to either amend the plans to meet the township ordinance or request another conditional use approval, according to Main Line Media News.

Regardless of the conditional use request status, the project will move forward in the township's approval process.

Some residents are not happy with the idea of a Target store coming to the area. One even launched an online petition calling for the project to be scrapped.

Petitioner Marie Kramer of Ardmore says a Target at the corner Lancaster and Ardmore avenues would negatively impact the area in multiple ways.

As of Nov. 15, nearly 700 people have signed the petition, which has a 1,000 signature goal.

"A Target on the intersection of Lancaster Ave. and Ardmore Ave. will only make traffic worse than it is already is," she writes. "The 32,000 sf of retail, 35 apartments and only 87 parking spots does not fit on that intersection."

She also addressed overcrowding issues at Lower Merion School District schools and tied that to the Target.

"Our School District is experiencing problems with overcrowding," she said. "You need to put a brake on large developments to help with the overcrowding of the School District."

Another issue Kramer brings up is parking.

"Allowing the developer to use the municipal parking lots will push the small businesses by Ardmore West to go out of business by having to share the only parking they have," she said. "Allowing the developer to use the municipal parking lot by the Ardmore House will put the senior citizens that live at the Ardmore House in danger by increasing the traffic there."

And her last point is the zoning classification for the lot on which Target is looking to build.

"This development does not qualify for MUST (Mixed Use Special Transportation District) as only a small section of the Target is within1,500 sf of the Ardmore Train Station," she said.

She says in her petition that the Lower Merion Township Commissioners' "duty is to the residents and not to the developers and businesses."

"Keep Ardmore charming, residential and affordable," she closes her petition with.

You can see, or sign, Kramer's petition here.

The Target logo is displayed on the exterior of Target store on September 25, 2017 in San Rafael, California. Target Corp. announced plans to raise the hourly hourly minimum wage for its workers to $11 per hour beginning in one month and increasing to $15 per hour by the end of 2020. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images News/Getty Images)