‘Anyone who cares about the appearance of our town should be paying attention’
To the Editor,
We urge the Swarthmorean to do better in its coverage of the mixed-use development proposed for 110 Park Avenue. It appears that two main concerns already exist about the development:
The structure proposed is too big or architecturally out of sync with the rest of the town center
The proposal will cause two important retail stores to close or relocate
Your front-page story last week read like a press release from the developers. It emphasized their longtime Swarthmore residency and civic contributions, and described the project in glowing terms with no indication of concerns about its size. Moreover, the article presented as fact, the developers’ argument that this project exemplifies the type of development envisioned by the Town Center Revitalization Plan. (Isn’t that for the review process to determine?) Even more disappointing, your illustration does not show the proposed 5-story structure sited next to its 2-story neighbors, but rather with trees and open space alongside the building.
Your coverage did mention that two highly valued businesses in town have lost their leases because of this project. But your coverage of this was one-sided. You highlight the developers’ statement that they offered “assistance” to the merchants and the “opportunity” to purchase space in the new building, but you fail to report the merchants’ position and whether these “opportunities” will do anything to keep their businesses in Swarthmore.
Without a doubt, the development at 110 Park will transform Swarthmore’s Town Center. Obviously, the Planning Commission and Borough Council have the final say, but anyone who cares about the appearance of our town should be paying attention to this proposal, and to this end, the Swarthmorean can and must provide full and balanced coverage of this story.
Phil and Ginny Scott
Swarthmore
