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Now is the time for the community of Chadds Ford to come together and realize the long-shared vision of completing the loop road system surrounding Routes 1 and 202. Population growth along this corridor has brought unprecedented creating traffic delays, accessibility issues, and safety concerns at an important gateway. As a property owner at Chadds Ford for more than 40 years, the Henderson Group wanted to be part of the solution. 
Once complete, this loop road system will improve traffic flow, reduce wait times, provide better life/safety access, and improve many people’s first impressions of our community. There are five main components to this public infrastructure project:
- A traffic calming circle at the intersections of Hillman and Evergreen Drives is designed to slow traffic and deter commercial trucks (completed).
- A new entrance to the Painters Crossing Condominium Association via Evergreen Drive extends Hillman Drive from its current terminus to the existing signalized intersection with Route 1. Once complete, these residents will have expanded accessibility to Routes 1 and 202.
- Restriction of turning movements at the intersection of Route 1 and Dickinson Drive to “inbound/outbound” movements only. Once complete, dangerous left turns on Route 1 to/from Dickinson Drive will be eliminated.
- Complete improvements along Route 1 including signal upgrades, installation of acceleration/deceleration lanes, and widening of the left-hand turn lane at the Hillman Drive intersection. Once complete, it will reduce congestion through better traffic flow.
- Widen Hillman Drive at the Route 202 intersection and add a dedicated right-hand turn lane. Once complete, it will reduce congestion, especially during peak travel times.
The total cost of completing this project is upwards of $7 million. Last year, the Henderson Group partnered with Rep. Craig Williams of the state to secure a $910,000 grant from the DCED Multimodal Transportation Fund and an additional $1.08 million from the PennDOT Multimodal Transportation Fund. As a private business that has volunteered to undertake this public infrastructure project, a task that would otherwise fall on the shoulders of taxpayers, we need a revenue-generating project to fill the funding gap.
To resolve this shortage issue, the Henderson Group has proposed a text amendment to develop a luxury, age-restricted (55+), multifamily community known as “Greene Station at Painters Crossing” on a 21-acre tract of vacant land. land near the Village at Painters Crossing Shopping Center. We believe this multifamily community is a “win-win” for the Chadds Ford community because of the many benefits this plan offers in addition to providing the necessary funds to complete the project.
First, without approval to develop Greene Station at Painters Crossing, our 21-acre tract of vacant land will likely be used for a combination of retail and office purposes in accordance with existing zoning. Unfortunately, these uses will create more traffic during peak travel times than age-restricted multifamily. In fact, a trip generation comparison prepared by a traffic engineer, submitted to Chadds Ford Township, estimated that Greene Station at Painters Crossing would generate 68.7 to 80.60 percent less traffic than a by-right plan on a weekday and all major traffic peak hours.
Second, a 55+ multifamily community would be an income generating asset for the community and would generate an estimated $773,048 in tax revenue for the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District without adding any additional students to the system .
Finally, this type of housing makes sense for Chadds Ford. Households aged 55+ increased from 2010 to 2021 and are expected to increase by 175 households over the next five years, according to a Preliminary Rental Market Assessment prepared by the National Council of Housing Market Analysts. Greene Station at Painters Crossing also provides an opportunity for active seniors to utilize significant green spaces and outdoor recreational amenities and to “age in place” instead of moving away from the area. Living near the Village at Painters Crossing Shopping Center would be ideal for this population, as well, and could help attract new retailers.
Unfortunately, the Chadds Ford Township Planning Commission voted to reject the text amendment that would have allowed the construction of the Greene Station at Painters Crossing, thus preventing our ability to complete the loop road system. We believe our plan will be viable in compliance with Chadds Ford Township’s Comprehensive Plan and Open Space Plan.
The Chadds Ford community deserves safe roadways, convenient access to businesses and retail, and a place for our aging population to call home. Now is the time to act by moving our plan for Greene Station at Painters Crossing forward and completing the loop road system that surrounds Routes 1 and 202 in its entirety.
Brian Coyle
President and CEO, Henderson Group
About the CFLive Staff
Check out the Contributors Page https://chaddsfordlive.com/writers/
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