The Lansdale Freight House.
As Luxor Lansdale apartments approach their launch in the coming months, and as Discover Lansdale continues their renovation efforts at Lansdale’s historic Freight House, Lansdale Borough Council has approved a plan to pave the lot at the intersection of Vine and South Broad streets.
According to Dan Sokil of The Reporter, the parking lot will have 95 spaces and provisions for EV chargers, all done at a cost of just under $1.3 million, which was awarded by the borough Parking Authority to Scott Building Corp., as reported by borough Manager John Ernst and borough Director of Community Development Jason Van Dame to council last week. The $1.3 million budget was slightly higher than an initial estimate from 2017, according to the report.
The Lansdale Parking Authority owns the land beneath and around the Lansdale Freight House.
The plan calls for two entrances off Broad Street: A one-way entrance at the far south end of the property, and a signalized two-way entrance/exit at Vine Street, according to the article. The southernmost entrance will lead to a lower parking lot of 16 spaces, and there will be eight spaces nearest the freight station. Additional parking spaces will go behind the freight station and abut the nearby 200-plus-unit Luxor Lifestyles Apartments complex currently under construction. There will be new lighting throughout the parking lot.
It was reported that the freight station will be fed with water line connections and electric connections before paving begins. There will only be EV infrastructure at completion of the lot, and not actual EV chargers, per the report, as the borough would prefer efficient “fast chargers.”
Speaking of Luxor Lifestyles Apartments, Sokil reported the complex’s new 206 electric meters were powered up Monday. The electric accounts would then be turned over to each individual tenant leasing space at Luxor. Interested applicants can apply for leasing through LuxorLansdaleApartments.com.
Luxor is being built under a LERTA incentive, or Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance Act. In simple terms, its taxes are exonerated less and less over a 10-year period, and thus its property tax payments slowly increase by certain percentages year to year. In developer Westrum’s case, its Lansdale Luxor plans presented in 2018 called for redevelopment of a vacant warehouse along the rail line between South Broad and Hancock streets.
According to reports, Luxor is set to open for occupancy by Thanksgiving, with Westrum advertising an opening date of January 2023.
As far as the current progress of the Lansdale Freight Station, owner Discover Lansdale was awarded a $14,130 matching 2021 Keystone Preservation Planning Grant from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission last June. The 50 percent match grant requires Discover Lansdale to fund its half by donations, sponsorships, and other means, according to its website.
The grant can be used for planning, promotion, and development of historic resources, and Discover Lansdale planned to use it to fund construction plans and design documents for rehabilitation.
Donate to the freight house restoration project or sign up to volunteer at this link.
The nonprofit’s vision is to turn the freight station into a welcome center and industrial heritage display site, with an intention to attract hikers and visitors along the Liberty Bell Trail. There is also public and private event potential.
At the beginning of 2021, renovations had come to a halt at the freight station after two years of sporadic volunteer renovation and restoration; there was unforeseen structural issues with the 3,900-square-foot building. Discover Lansdale had to go back to the fundraising drawing board.
Once the subfloor was uncovered, volunteers were met by rotten floor joists, with the worst of it by the freight doors, due to removal of overhangs decades prior exposing the wood to the elements with no protection.
The damage boosted estimated repair costs from $250,000 to $600,000.
“We found several that were not even connected to the outer supporting wall because of deterioration,” said Discover Lansdale Board of Directors Vice President, Discover Lansdale Freight House Committee Chair and Lansdale Historical Society President Bill Henning in 2021. “At that point, it was decided that the entire floor system – flooring, floor joists and joist supports – needed to be replaced.”
Unfortunately, it also meant Discover Lansdale could not meet its ambitious goal of completing restoration before Lansdale’s sesquicentennial celebration, which is currently underway.
In 2016, Discover Lansdale bought the building for $60,000 from previous owner Lansdale Parking Authority, and it also rents the land for $1 per year in a 99-year lease. The Lansdale Parking Authority bought it for $590,000 from 111 S Broad St LLC in 2016, which owned the parcel since 2009, according to Montgomery County land records.
Read more on the parking lot project and view a plot plan here.
Read more about Luxor’s progress here.
See also:
‘Luxor Lansdale’ Receives Approval from Lansdale Borough Council
‘Luxor Lansdale’ Apartment Project Receives Go-Ahead From Code Enforcement Committee
Planning Commission Gets First Look At 'Luxor Lansdale'
Discover Lansdale Provides Update, Estimated Completion Date for Freight House Renovations
Photos: Boardroom Raises More Than $1,500 For Lansdale Freight House Restoration
