Is this the impression we want to leave upon the world?
Parking, our schools, police force, crime, and of course, taxes are all issues that rage year after year in Jenkintown. Our borough government has suffered many slings and arrows from this site and from others, but I understand that no town is perfect. Jenkintown could be gushing money and graduating Nobel winners and someone will complain.
Though I launched this site in response to the Borough’s ill-considered paving program that has subjected residents to exploitative contractors, looming deadlines, and punitive fines, my number one issue is and has always been the business district. Since launching this site ten years ago, we have seen little progress. While we still have our movie theater, a brewery, a new family market in the commercial core, and two spots to buy banana pudding, the fact remains that our school taxes go up because of weakness in business district property values. I love banana pudding, but I’ve lived here for twenty years, and pudding is no substitute for a defined plan, specific goals, and more importantly, someone to lead the effort.
Yes, we understand that much of the business activity is more or less centered around the aptly named Town Center. Except that is our back yard. The drivers of the thousands of cars that pass through our town judge it by what they see on York Road, and to coin a phrase, it ain’t pretty. It’s mostly devoid of pedestrians, many buildings are poorly maintained and marginally occupied. The newest buildings do not reflect the character of the district, as our zoning ordinance demands.
You can build a commercial district designed for pedestrians or for automobiles. Once we understand that cars represent a burden upon the community while pedestrians tend to add value, the choice becomes obvious. But a priority must be struck. One doesn’t have to surf far into the internet to better understand this assertion. StrongTowns.org is a great place to start if you truly care about Jenkintown’s future.
It’s really time that Council focus on this problem like a laser beam or else Jenkintown becomes another Abington locale in ten years or so. The business district is THE key to our independence. We ignore it at our peril. Google Street View, which archives all its images, provides a useful yardstick of our progress. The first Street View vehicle drove down York Road in 2007, returning many times since. You can judge for yourself whether of not we’ve made any progress.
To that end, on April 19, on a warm, dry, early Saturday afternoon, I took a walk along York Road from the Library parking lot to the new Giant and took some photos to document the experience. The whole walk took about a half hour. I crossed paths with no more than maybe a dozen other pedestrians, but I did it because few others will bother. Enjoy.
We start our walk from the very back corner of the Borough’s own parking lot behind the Public Library. We estimate that this lot holds about 60 cars.
Walking south towards the business center, we pause on the front lawn of Grace Presbyterian Church to look at the 70s-era shopping space known as The Metropol In 2012, this was home to a Pella Windows store, Luda’s Judaica, and Botwinik’s Clothing. Today there’s only the Christian Science Reading Room and a real estate office. I guess people aren’t looking for homes on Saturdays. To the left is a space formerly occupied by a fortune teller. I wonder if they knew when they would eventually vacate these premises.
The nearly finished apartments looming over the former Church of Our Savior. Note that the future residents of these apartments are provided no direct access to Old York Road. For a look at what we lost at this location, click this link.The Borough’s own planning board design standards seeks to, “Encourage economic development through the establishment of flexible building and parking standards while maintaining and enhancing the traditional York Road and West Avenue environments and the community’s overall unique identity.”
Given the state of Old York Road, we can’t really blame Pediatric Dentistry of Jenkintown for turning its back on it.
Now in ground zero for Jenkintown’s business district wondering where all the people are. Remember, this is an early afternoon on a warm Saturday. Yes, we know that there are likely more people to be found behind these buildings, but this is what people see when they drive through our borough. This is our front yard.
The block between Greenwood and Summit may be the most active on York Road, but maybe this young man might appreciate some company.
Even our own county doesn’t seem to have much regard for our main street. Yes, this is the district court house, originally an A&P.
And this is the condition of the sidewalk in front of the court house and its abutting properties. The restaurant is closed.
Finally, we get to the new Giant grocery store. Probably no one demanded, much less expected Giant to enhance the pedestrian experience beyond a new sidewalk and a few new trees, but this is nearly 200 yards of sidewalk that will likely see less foot traffic than any of our residential streets.
Are there any images I’ve posted here that you think are worthy of a postcard to send to a distant friend?
Here’s a few more. Where’s the people?
