73 townhouses proposed on W. Fifth Street in Lansdale

A new plan is in the works that could add dozens of homes to Lansdale.

Council members heard a preview last week of talks on a possible development of more than 70 townhouses on the 800 block of West Fifth Street.

“Currently, that area is zoned as industrial, and they are trying to change that to residential — that’s a very important step for them to move forward with their planning,” said code committee chairwoman Rafia Razzak.

“There are going to be 73 townhomes, it will be part of a homeowners association. All they are trying to get from our committee today is just the proposed approval of the zoning, so they can do a hearing in front of the full council,” she said.

Up for discussion is a parcel located east of Valley Forge Road and south of West Fifth Street, which county property records indicate is roughly five acres and currently houses Architectural Steel, a steel fabrication business that specializes in steel beams, columns, plates, clips and trusses, with a storage business adjacent and both surrounded by fencing and cameras.

Local developer W.B. Homes has proposed a complex of 73 townhouses to be built along several private roads running through the site, and a concept plan provided by the borough shows clusters of townhouses along Fifth, along an alley running between Fifth and Fourth Street, and along a private driveway running parallel to Valley Forge Road.

    W.B. Homes representatives Christopher Canavan right, William Bonenberger, second from right, and Steve Shaffer, far left, conduct a tour of their Cannon Square development in Lansdale for a group of Montgomery County planning and revitalization board officials in 2012. (MediaNews Group file photo)
  

Recent projects by W.B. inside the borough include the ‘Cannon Square’ complex off 28 townhomes on Cannon Avenue built in 2011-12, the ‘Williamson Square’ complex of 30 twins on Line Street approved in 2013, and the similar ‘Cannon II’ project of 40 townhomes approved in 2016 across the street from the prior project.

During their May 7 meeting, Razzak told council, the code committee discussed the latest zoning change requested by the developer and voted it ahead for full council to consider in a future meeting, likely in June, according to borough staff.

“We didn’t see any problem with approving that, from us, because all they are trying to do is the zoning change. When they’re here, all of council will have a chance to ask any questions,” Razzak said.

    A car drives along West Fifth Street past a steel fabrication business where a complex of new townhouses has been proposed in Lansdale on Tuesday, May 13, 2025.
 By Dan Sokil | The Reporter 

Concerns voiced by the committee so far include whether the development will include any added crossings or sidewalk upgrades for kids who live there to walk to nearby Oak Park Elementary School, and whether the private roads will be wide enough for emergency vehicles, the councilwoman said, and those concerns will be vetted and addressed in detail if the zoning change is approved and the plans proceed to the land development process.

“I feel like it’s going to be better, because it’s surrounded by an all-residential area, which would look nicer if they come in with that land development,” Razzak said.

Councilman Mike Yetter added that the initial number of 73 units could be reduced as plans are refined and concerns addressed, and borough Director of Public Works Jason Van Dame said the hearing on the zoning change will likely be held at full council in June, then the plans would be vetted by the county and borough planning commissions before the revised plans come back for final approvals.

Lansdale’s borough council next meets at 7 p.m. on May 21 and June 18 and the code committee next meets at 7:30 p.m. on June 4, all at the borough municipal building, 1 Vine Street. For more information, visit www.Lansdale.org.

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