If anything qualifies as "old business" in a Somerton Civic Association meeting, it's the disposition of the former Philadelphia State Hospital, commonly known as Byberry.
Neighbors have been waiting to see what will happen to the 153-acre site since the former psychiatric institution closed for good on June 21, 1990, when the last remaining patients were released at the order of then-Gov. Robert Casey.
The Byberry saga may be entering another chapter, according to Mary Jane Hazell, president of the SCA.
During the community group's monthly meeting on Oct. 9, Hazell announced that the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation was preparing to submit a bid to purchase the state-owned ground.
Citing a source from within PIDC, Hazell told residents, "PIDC is putting in again for the purchase of the entire tract, with no favors being given to anyone."
Hazell was referring to perceived political favors offered to prospective developers in the last agreement of sale, signed by the state and PIDC in December 1999.
Under that document, PIDC was to pay $5 million in so-called "fair consideration" (such as increased tax revenues resulting from development). But also, the quasi-city agency was obligated by the agreement to sell 22 acres of the land to one private developer for $1 and 40 acres to another private developer for $1.
Working in cooperation with City Councilman Brian O'Neill (R-10th dist.), the SCA effectively blocked the agreement of sale. PIDC withdrew from the agreement last June.
During the summer, Hazell met with city officials, including Mayor John Street, to propose a development plan endorsed by the civic association. That plan calls for a combination of office buildings and residential development on the site.
According to Hazell, the city officials were supportive of the community plan. Hazell believes that the civic group would be able to work with PIDC as the exclusive landholder to develop a plan acceptable to all parties.
When reached by telephone last week, PIDC spokeswoman Noreen Shanfelter confirmed that her agency had applied with the state for the right to purchase the Byberry ground. No terms or conditions of a sale have been set, however.
At the civic meeting, O'Neill sounded confident that any new development plans would include community input, something residents say they didn't get when the last agreement of sale was drafted.
"I will say that I and this organization, working together, killed that (last) Byberry deal," the councilman said. "We're at the very beginning stages (of a new deal), now, but I think the groundwork has been laid.
"The main thing with Byberry is (that) the past is finally behind us. Hopefully, whoever in Harrisburg tried to do this learned a lesson and won't try it next time."
Hazell concurred, citing assurances she has received from local officials that the community will take part in the planning process if and when PIDC obtains development rights to the land.
"At that point, they will meet with Councilman O'Neill and the community to see how it will be cut up," she said, adding that office development on the site would benefit from a state Keystone Opportunity Zone tax abatement, and new-home buyers would benefit from the city's deferred real estate tax program.
During the Byberry discussion, one resident pointed out that the civic group has also gone on record demanding that the state demolish more than 30 dilapidated, asbestos-containing hospital buildings on the site. Future plans will address demolition, according to O'Neill.
"I think everything from here on out will have a demolition plan in it," he said, "(It won't be) a piece of paper with nothing in it but 'this person gets the land for a dollar.'"
In other Somerton business:
The dentist and his wife told the residents that they did not intend to establish a permanent residence there, as required by the city zoning code. but the dentist would be using the second floor of the building as an alternate residence.
The couple offered a petition signed by area residents supporting the zoning variance but agreed to wait until civic association leaders contacted the immediate residents before proceeding with their application.
Hazell said that she was concerned that the building has only four off-street parking spaces and that there is no curb parking on Bustleton Avenue. The civic president fears that any parking spillover would adversely affect neighbors but not the owners of the dentist's office because they wouldn't be living there.
The sign has been there illegally for seven years, according to an attorney for the company. But city officials didn't cite the business until six months ago. An existing variance held by the company allows for a similar sign but in a different spot. ReMax 2000 owners moved the sign, unaware of the zoning restriction, when they bought the building.
The civic association agreed to support the current application, providing the owners do not erect any additional signs in the future.
"If you have things of value, you're basically saying (to thieves), 'Here, take it,'" Everitt explained.
The most frequent crimes in the 7th are thefts and thefts from autos. Preventive measures taken by residents could help reduce the problem, the captain said.
Everitt announced a new initiative that his officers will soon begin. The plan calls for police to educate local business owners on how to avoid becoming victims of crime, most frequently retail theft or other property-oriented offenses.
As an endorsed Democrat, Overton is expected to win one of the 11 available seats. There are nine candidates endorsed by both the Democratic and Republican parties.
Most likely, those nine candidates will win, as should the two endorsed Democrats because of the great majority held by that party among the city's voters.