A new office building with ground-floor retail space may soon be constructed along Montgomery Avenue in Penn Valley, Lower Merion, writes Richard Ilgenfritz for Main Line Media News.
The Lower Merion Building and Planning Committee recently recommended the project to the Board of Commissioners. The new building would consolidate two properties at 727 and 731 Montgomery Avenue.
The new Penn Valley site would be 16,079 square feet in total. The ground floor would offer 868 square feet of prime retail space. Additionally, the new property will have 24 parking spaces and a shared common driveway. The property will also feature an urban garden out front.
The Board of Commissioners expressed concerns that the retail space might be too small to attract a tenant. Senior planner with Lower Merion Building and Planning Department, Jillian Dierks cites recent trends to suggest that the space will go to use.
“I think what we’ve seen are really positive changes along this quarter — Kismet Bagels has a lot of activity. There is a little coffee shop that has popped up directly next to this site,” she said.
The project is expected to be on the board’s next meeting’s agenda.Read more about the plans for the new commercial space at Main Line Media News.
