The future of the Greylock, a historic 22-room mansion on 6.5 acres at 209 W. Chestnut Hill Ave., remains undecided after the city's Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) heard public testimony on the controversial redevelopment project last Wednesday, Aug. 29, but postponed a final vote.

The board is expected to vote at its next meeting, though a date has not yet been set. "I think we have an understanding of how long it's going to take, and we will do everything we can to finish this the next time we get together," said ZBA Chair William Bergman.

The property, currently zoned for single-family use, has not been used as a private residence since World War II. The Sisters of St. Mary Immaculate used it as a nursing home until 1999 when they sold it at auction. It sat vacant and deteriorating until Rhombus Properties, led by Lavi Shenkman, acquired the property in late 2022 and stabilized the building.

Shenkman's plan calls for multi-family housing and three new buildings on the site, requiring a zoning variance. However, zoning approval would be just the first hurdle. The property is governed by strict historic easements, protecting the mansion and surrounding open space. Shenkman would need the Chestnut Hill Conservancy to break the terms of the easement to move forward. The Conservancy has not yet said whether it would take that step.

Wednesday's hearing consisted entirely of public testimony, with individuals and representatives of larger groups voicing both support and opposition to the project.

S. David Fineman, a lawyer representing opposing neighbors, suggested that Shenkman did not post appropriate notices and proposed extending the public testimony process. The claim was quickly dismissed by Bergman since the ZBA does not require applicants to post on orange paper since their hearings went virtual. 

"Mr. Fineman has done an amazing job in prolonging this case,” Adam Laver, the attorney representing the developer, said at the hearing. “The initial application was filed 15 months ago."

Tyler Britten, president of Chestnut Hill Forward, a community Registered Community Organization, supported the project and expressed frustration with the delays: "It's frustrating to see this process delayed over and over again. The owner, the neighbors, and the community deserve much speedier resolutions."

Brad Bank, one of the opposing neighbors, told the Local that delays were a natural result of the CHCA committee and ZBA process.

“Fineman has explained in the hearings that there is no hardship to the property that necessitates variances and any decision that does not take into consideration the conservation and preservation easements is premature,” he said. 

Kimberly Dukes, an opposing neighbor represented by Fineman, claimed the developer has neglected the property. "This is a very, very rural area that has been neglected significantly, abashedly by (the developer) and his team. If anyone wants to drive by, they can see how neglected it is," Dukes said. "This is an ugly development, against easements that protect it from development, and it's an assault on people like me who have been spending unbelievable amounts of money, time and energy just preserving this part of Chestnut Hill."

Dukes was the only person to speak against the project at Wednesday's hearing. However, a group of near neighbors have organized to fight the project, citing the preservation easements that prohibit it. Fineman will read their testimony at the next scheduled hearing. 

Shenkman plans to convert the mansion into six condos and build three new buildings on the mansion's west side: a townhouse triplex and two duplexes. The mansion's gatehouse would be converted into two additional dwellings, bringing the total to 15 units on the property.

Anne McNiff, executive director of the Chestnut Hill Community Association (CHCA), said the CHCA voted to support the applicant's request for variances "after a series of public meetings involving the applicant, near neighbors, community members and our own group of planning and design professionals." She added, "We believe it provides a solid solution that will give new life to a critically important property, and therefore strongly urge the ZBA to approve the proposed variances."

Craig Schelter, who voted to support the project as a member of the CHCA's Design Review Committee, said the developer has met the spirit of the city code: "There's nothing in the Philadelphia code that the developer hasn't met from a zoning point of view, density, traffic, access, esthetics, landscaping. I think it's critical here, given the need for housing and the need to get the site developed, that the zoning variances be granted so this can move ahead."

Others who spoke in favor of the project included Richard Snowden, president of Chestnut Hill Business Improvement District (also a member of the Chestnut Hill Local's board) and Charles Richardson, the chief of staff for Councilwoman Cindy Bass, who also supports the project.

McNiff expressed her hope for a resolution, stating, "I very much look forward to a decision being made at this next meeting. This has been a long time in the works, and we'd like to get it resolved."