Somerton sees plans
for Byberry development

By William Kenny
Times Staff Writer

It started out as a civic meeting, but then a real estate sales meeting broke out.
The Somerton Civic Association on June 12 welcomed officials from Westrum Development Co. as the featured presenters at the community group’s monthly general meeting.
After proclaiming that demolition of the longtime eyesore that was the former Philadelphia State Hospital, commonly known as Byberry, is almost complete, the developers gave about 100 area residents the rundown on the many amenities being offered in the first batch of homes that will be built on the site.
According to John McHale, Westrum’s vice president of home-building operations, the first phase of building will start on the Southampton Road side of the property east of Carter Road and include 48 homes. The builder hopes to close its first sale sometime next spring.
From now on, the site will be known as the Arbors at Eagle Pointe.
In all, the builders say, 398 homes will occupy a 55-acre portion of the 130-acre Byberry tract. Fifty acres have been committed to Brandywine Real Estate Trust for the development of corporate office buildings, while 25 acres along Carter Road is to remain undeveloped as a passive park.
Depending on sales rates and other variables, Westrum hopes to complete its portion of the project within four years, McHale said.
Westrum officials John Dean and Paul Lonie have been the Somerton Civic group’s contact people for information about demolition activity. The razing of more than 20 large institutional buildings on the site began last June.
The structures were contaminated with asbestos and other environmentally hazardous substances. The demolition included more than 1 million square feet of building space, Dean said. Some tunnels remain below the surface.
"There are no vertical buildings left on the site. We’re very excited about that," Dean said. "It’s a signal for us that it’s a transition from the predevelopment, demolition phase to the construction phase."
McHale and John Mershon, president of the development company, said that individuals can express an interest in buying into the age 55-and-over community by signing up for one of three lists.
Westrum is compiling a list of people who call the 1-800-WESTRUM hot line, a list of those who contact the company by e-mail through the Web site WESTRUM.COM and a list being compiled by the Somerton Civic Association.
SCA president Mary Jane Hazell, who turns 74 this month, has said she intends to buy a place in the new development.
The first batch of homes will include 19 Villas or "quad" homes, and 29 Carriage Homes or townhouses.
"Probably, this will be the smallest phase we’ll open, just to get the community started," McHale said.
This August or September, the developer is planning to host a "preview opening" during which people on the lists will be invited to view sample models and put a deposit on a unit.
Plans call for a community clubhouse, but it will not be part of the first phase. Residents of the community will be required to pay a monthly residents-association fee to pay for maintenance of common areas and home exteriors, much like a condominium association.
In the initial phase, all vehicle traffic will enter and exit the site via Southampton Road. In later phases, the developer hopes, limited ingress and egress will be added on Roosevelt Boulevard. Plans are to install a traffic light on Southampton at the entrance to the development, as well as acceleration and deceleration lanes near the entrance.
• Traffic is also a concern for the civic group at the planned site of a new CVS and Wawa on Bustleton Avenue between Tomlinson Road and Kelvin Avenue.
First, developers will demolish a closed Frank’s Nursery to make room for the new CVS at Tomlinson Road. Then an existing CVS at Kelvin Avenue will be razed to make room for the new Wawa.
The projects are both permitted as a matter of right under the city’s zoning code. Developers have agreed to lobby the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for installation of turning arrows on Bustleton Avenue at both intersections to better manage traffic.
• The next Somerton Civic Association meeting will be on Tuesday, Sept. 11, at 7:30 p.m., at Walker Lodge 306, 1290 Southampton Road. ••
Reporter William Kenny can be reached at 215-354-3031 or bkenny@phillynews.com