Morrell Civic addresses
country club land sale

By Lauren Fritsky
Times Staff Writer

A Torresdale-Frankford Country Club official addressed the Morrell Civic Association on Thursday to clear up rumors about a proposed land sale.
Developer Charles Seravalli, the club’s board president, confirmed that the membership is considering the sale of 20 acres but has not voted to move forward.
"We don’t have a developer. We don’t have a price. We have a schematic," he said.
Ed Shonewolf, president of the civic group, brought up the sale issue at last month’s meeting.
Bob Barrilli, legislative aide to City Councilman Brian O’Neill (R-10th dist.), said then that the club was investigating a sale but had not made a final decision.
Seravalli said last week that one option for the land is an age-restricted community.
The affected area would include a paper street between the John Hancock School and Mitchell Playground that would allow access to any future residential development.
To reopen the road, the club would need approvals from the School District of Philadelphia, the Department of Recreation and City Council.
Seravalli said one reason the club is interested in selling part of its 70-acre site is recurring vandalism. Youths often break through the fencing and set fires on the property.
"We have the fire department in there once a weekend," he said.
Despite reassurances that the plan is not moving forward at the moment, residents wondered about the effects of extra traffic on neighboring communities and the safety of schoolchildren, who often cross the de-listed road to get to the playground during the day.
"Who’s going to be controlling all this traffic and congestion?" asked resident Terri Rieser.
Another resident asked about the property’s remaining green space, to which Seravalli answered that the club would retain about 10 to 15 acres of woods.
Seravalli vowed to come before the civic group if the club decides to sell the land. The idea, he said, may not even materialize.
In other news from the Aug. 30 meeting:
• Shonewolf wants to form a committee to plan a fund-raising event for the Morrell Town Watch. The group has a dozen members who patrol on Friday and Saturday nights.
• The civic group hopes to get Steve Carr, the community relations officer for the 8th Police District, to speak about a proposed curfew center to service the 2nd, 7th and 8th police districts.
The centers, already operating in other city neighborhoods, including those in the Lower Northeast’s 15th district, process youngsters who are picked up by police for curfew violations. ••
The Morrell Civic Association will meet at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 27, at Christ the King Church, 3252 Chesterfield Road.