L.M. Landmark Likely To Be Demolished

The Lower Merion Building and Planning Committee expressed some reservations on Wednesday night about a request to tear down the main house, stable addition and pool house at 1316 Monk Road in Gladwyne. But the committee then voted unanimously to recommend to the Township Board of Commissioners that the request be granted.

Board of Commissioners President Liz Rogan said Lower Merion  has lost more than 200 historical properties in a very recent time period. “We’re losing pieces of our township piece by piece,” she said. Commissioner Cheryl Gelber called it a “beautiful property.” Bob Duncan, director of building and planning for the township, said he was told the property is in good shape. The Historical Commission, too, indicated that it does not completely agree with a study finding that the house has suffered a complete loss of character, and that insufficient information had been provided.

Commissioner Jenny Brown said the owners had renovated other homes, but were financially constrtained with the Monk Road property.

For the full story, with additional information about consideration of an amendment to the plan for the Idlewild Preservation Area, on the Bryn Mawr-Gladwyne Patch.