Elkins Park West Concepts
Assessment Overview
- Elkins Park is two districts not one
- Wall House, Beth Shalom Temple, Township Administration Building and numerous mansions and superb residences are exquisite architectural assets of regional importance
- Topography, floodplains, roads and rail have created many isolated land parcels
- Inconsistent commercial architecture often requiring façade improvements
- Opportunity to link natural and historic features within a pedestrian friendly commercial district
- Opportunity for an upscale regional retail and restaurant district
- Opportunity for a unifying theme – 1900’s mansions, colonial architecture, or natural features
- Parking and pedestrian routes are not clearly linked within the district
- Traffic calming necessary along Old York, Church
- Many car oriented commercial properties
Enhancement Opportunities
- Create a high quality pedestrian oriented district to draw regional customers
- Introduce a colonial-themed shopping village to unite Wall House and Yorktown Inn
- Relocate library to the Wall House vicinity to unify civic activities and convert library to commercial uses
- Reconfigure Township Administration facilities around a public banquet hall and courtyard
- Build additional retail at Elkins Park Square to extend a retail arcade to the corner of Old York and Church Roads
- Locate additional retail around a courtyard at the former Municipal Services site. Relocate the Municipal Services Facility.
- Create an upscale shopping arcade within the Stahr/ Church/ York Block
- Link all recreational, civic and commercial sites with a river walk esplanade and public pavilions
- Introduce street lights, identity signs and gateway entrance signs to define the district and safe pedestrian and bike paths to link the district
Below are views of the draft plan.
Plan View
View Looking South
Township Administration Complex
Content: Nancy Gibson, Public Information Officer, 215-887-1000