Groves demolition threat still looms

HSR President (and former Riverton Mayor) Bill Brown has delivered a letter to the Riverton Planning Board which details the many “questions about perceived serious procedural irregularities” HSR has received regarding hearings on the Groves Mansion at 411 Lippincott Avenue. Read the letter HERE.

For more information about the fascinating history of the Groves Mansion, see its Statement of Historical Significance by Borough Historian Roger Prichard HERE.

The next Planning Board hearing will be critical to its fate. It will be Tuesday, March 22, 2022, at 7:00, via Zoom at this link: https://zoom.us/j/99667220214?pwd=egmyc1ncm0tmtwruajb6b29dak9zut09

(If it asks for a Passcode, use 813512)

Published by

John McCormick

Teacher at Riverton School 1974-2019, author, amateur historian, Historical Society of Riverton Board Member 2007-2023, newsletter editor 2007-2023, website editor 2011-2023

2 thoughts on “Groves demolition threat still looms”

  1. I wish people could see where I grew up. It was a beautiful old part of Philadelphia, almost out of the city – Somerton. There were beautiful old houses with mature trees. After I got married, my parents moved to Feasterville. I drove back to see the old neighborhood and they had put duplexes and big monstrosities on every available piece of land in between all the old homes. It was unrecognizable. The people were not taking care of the old homes either. The whole place had gone downhill. You cannot destroy the beauty and history of a place and expect it to retain it’s appeal.

  2. Janet Coll Brandenburger
    Janet Coll Brandenburger
    Facebook

    6/24/21, 10:22 PM
    Janet
    Janet Coll Brandenburger
    Hi Renee. I see in your post you mention not having a realtor get back to you on the Lippincott house. The house was listed twice recently. Once by Beth Gonyea when Jim purchased the home and then again when Jim decided to sell the home I listed the property. I don’t know if you tried to reach me – I don’t recall getting your messages. We had many phone calls and offers. Most were ‘flippers’, others intended to demolish the home. We chose the buyer who wanted to rehab and live there with his family. Should that deal fall through I’ll be sure to reach out to you if you are still interested. All the contractors that buyers have had through the house estimate a minimum of $300k for the rehab so there is extensive work to be done. My apologies if you were missed – it certainly wasn’t intentional. Good night.
    This was sent to me on June 24, 2021, Janet Brandenburger never contacted me again despite my interest in the property. I have heard similar claims to my own regarding other interested parties. I would very much like to know the names of the “potential buyers” the names of the contractors that walked through with them as well as how the contractors arrived at the estimate of about $300,000. My husband and I are sending a certified letter to the Brandenburger’s with an offer to purchase the property with the intent to restore.

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