Town Hall On Manayunk's Controversial Saint Mary's Development Is Tonight

MANAYUNK, PA -- The next public Town Hall meeting on the controversial Saint Mary's development project in Manayunk will be held on Wednesday night at the North Light Community Center.

The event will be held at 7:30 p.m. at the center, located on 175 Green Lane.

Developer Jack Bienenfeld is looking to convert the Saint Mary's property into apartments, which the Manayunk Neighborhood Council says would include 100 units with 154 bedrooms and 132 parking spaces.

Bienenfeld will be on hand for the hearing, during which he will lay out the details of his plan. The hearing will be moderated by State Rep. Pam DeLissio. Members of the public will have the opportunity to ask questions. Councilman Curtis Jones of the 4th District will also be on hand.

Residents, and the Council, have expressed several concerns about developing Saint Mary's of the Assumption, a one-acre property which was shut down in October 2015 as part of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia's downsizing.

They are concerned that Bienenfeld's plan will bring even more traffic and more parking struggles to an already very densely populated neighborhood.

According to the Council, Bienenfeld's team bid a million more than competing bidders to win the property. Competing bidders, according to the Council, included single family homes and community parking, options much more attractive to area residents.

Much of the community fury is aimed at Councilman Jones, who is pushing for a "spot-zoning" ordinance change for the property that would allow for Bienenfeld's development.

More than 250 residents attended the last Town Hall on March 7, where Councilman Jones was questioned.

Image via Justin Heinze