Main Line Life
Tuesday, Aug 12, 2008

Lower Merion projects will get state aid
By Cheryl Allison

Two revitalization and restoration projects in Lower Merion Township were major beneficiaries in Gov. Ed Rendell's swing through Pennsylvania last week to announce a new round of redevelopment grants.Ardmore's long-awaited revitalization got a big boost, to the tune of $6 million.

The Bryn Mawr Film Institute was also tapped for $2.5 million, moving it closer to its goal of restoring and bringing new life to Bryn Mawr's original 1926 movie house.

Rendell announced grants to some 40 projects in Chester, Montgomery and Bucks counties Aug. 7 in a stop at a helicopter plant in Coatesville.

The visit was part of a five-day, 16-stop bus tour last week to highlight $642 million in new state investments in 25 counties. The funding is expected to leverage more than $1.3 billion in private and local investments statewide.

Rendell announced that Ardmore would receive $6 million for its Ardmore Station project. Focused on a new transit center, the project also includes Dranoff Properties' plans to revitalize the downtown business district with new residential development, new stores and restaurants and increased parking.

In early July, Larry Segal, a grants expert on Dranoff's team, gave Lower Merion Township commissioners the good news that a line item of $15 million for the Ardmore project had been included in Pennsylvania's new capital budget. He and commissioners kept things low key at that point. Segal said then the time for celebrating would come when the money was actually tapped.

This week, Commissioner Liz Rogan, chairman of the board's Economic Revitalization Committee made it clear the time for celebrating has arrived. "Yay!" was her response when asked for a comment. "It's very exciting."

The state money is in addition to the $5.8 million in federal grant funding for the transit center that was earmarked almost four years ago.

The board of commissioners' approval last month of a memorandum of understanding with Dranoff Properties to negotiate a master development agreement "was an important accomplishment because it authorized Dranoff to act in an official capacity on behalf of the township," said Bruce Reed, president of the board of commissioners, in a statement. "The proven ability to secure this type of grant funding is just one reason why the township has chosen to partner with the Dranoff team," he said.

Also in a statement, Carl Dranoff, president of Dranoff Properties, said "This grant demonstrates the confidence of the governor in our transit-oriented development design, which favors mass transit and pedestrians over cars in walkable locations, and our ability to secure funding to take this project from concept to construction."

Rogan said it is possible that Ardmore could be in line for more state grant support.

"It's still in the line item" for $15 million, she said. "It's a possibility that if we use this [money] up and we still have work to do, we can receive more."

The infusion of $2.5 million in state funds "will enable Bryn Mawr Film Institute to begin the next phase of building improvements much sooner," said Juliet Goodfriend, the project's founder and executive director. "We are thrilled to receive this grant. It is a great honor and confirms the value of Bryn Mawr Film Institute as a community asset and economic driver."

Dedicated to renovating the historic theater building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, BMFI opened in 2005 as a non-profit art house theater. Another focus is providing film education programs for all ages.

The building has already undergone extensive renovation, including the installation of a new marquee, the creation of a state-of-the-art multimedia space used for education courses and community events, installation of new fire protection and HVAC systems, installation of an elevator and accessible restrooms, and the continuing restoration of the two-story, skylit arcade entrance.

Goodfriend said with the additional support, "Now we can address the renovation of the theater auditoriums and make improvements patrons will enjoy every time they come to the theater."

The institute's work "is not over," she said, however. Since the funds are provided as a matching grant, she said BMFI will be required to raise an additional $2.5 million to benefit from the RACP funds.

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