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  • Gladwyne residents are split on town revitalization plan | Inquirer Lower Merion

    Gladwyne residents are split on town revitalization plan | Inquirer Lower Merion

    Hi, Lower Merion! 👋

    Gladwyne residents are divided on a proposal to revitalize the town center. Here’s what they’re saying. Also this week, we take a peek inside a more than 9,000-square-foot Gladwyne home listed for $8.5 million, a man has been sentenced for his involvement in the death of a woman in a wheelchair in 2024, plus a new restaurant is taking over the former il Fiore space.

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    Gladwyne residents are split over a plan to revitalize the town center

    A proposal calls for revitalizing Gladwyne’s town center.

    Gladwyne residents are mixed on their support for a sweeping revitalization proposal of the town center, plans for which were revealed just a few weeks ago.

    Led by design firm Haldon House and backed by billionaire Jeff Yass, the project calls for historic architecture, green spaces, and businesses that “fit the character” of the area, The Inquirer’s Denali Sagner reports.

    One resident called the proposed changes an “absolute no-brainer,” but others are skeptical, particularly about one group having so much say over the town center. It’s even prompted a petition.

    Read more about the divide.

    Peek inside a gated Gladwyne estate on the market for $8.5M

    The $8.5 million property for sale in Gladwyne includes a 9,166-square-foot home.

    This Gladwyne estate situated on 12.76 acres on Country Club Road is on the market for $8.5 million. While the lot size is rare for the area, and provides plenty of privacy, a future owner has the option to subdivide it into three parcels.

    The property includes a more than 9,000-square-foot main home that was designed for entertaining. It has six bedrooms, eight full bathrooms, two kitchens, an elevator, a sauna, and a pool.

    Take a look inside the home and at its sprawling grounds.

    💡 Community News

    • The region saw its largest snowstorm in a decade over the weekend, with many spots recording more than nine inches, including Penn Wynne, which saw 9.4 inches, according to one figure reported to the National Weather Service — and there’s a small chance more is on the way this weekend. Freezing temperatures are expected to remain this week, meaning the snow and ice aren’t going anywhere. Check out a map of where the most snow fell.
    • Jamal McCullough was sentenced on Friday to three to six years in a state prison after fatally hitting 61-year-old Tracey Cary as she crossed City Avenue in her wheelchair in 2024. While prosecutors said McCullough was not at fault since Cary wasn’t in a posted crosswalk, he fled the scene, which carries criminal penalties. Cary’s sister said the hearing offered a chance to give the public a more complete picture of her sister, who was unhoused and had a love of reading, traveling, and the outdoors.
    • There’s a public meeting on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Lower Merion Township Building to discuss the Montgomery Avenue Corridor Traffic Calming and Safety Action Plan. The study, which is supported by a Safe Streets and Roads for All grant, focuses on Montgomery Avenue between Spring Mill Road and City Avenue, assessing things like traffic volume and crashes. Lower Merion Township and the Borough of Narberth will use the data and the public’s feedback to help improve safety.
    • St. Matthias Catholic Church’s former business manager, Sean Michael Sweeney, who is accused of stealing $1.1 million from the Bala Cynwyd institution, has been ordered to stand trial and is scheduled for an arraignment hearing on Feb. 25. (Main Line Times)
    • Club Studio Fitness is planning a late 2026 opening for its Wynnewood Shopping Center location. The high-end gym is taking over the 50,000-square-foot former Bed Bath & Beyond space and is known for premium amenities like cryotherapy and red-light therapy, a juice bar, and stretch stations.
    • The township’s planning commission will discuss a preliminary land development proposal for a portion of 1400 Waverly Rd. in Gladwyne on Monday. Retirement community Waverly Heights is seeking to demolish seven semi-attached single-family villas and put three buildings in their place. Two three-story buildings would be identical and house 12 units each, while the third would add 12 units onto the Blair Apartment Building. Plans also call for additional parking spaces. The meeting will take place at 7 p.m. at the Township Administration Building.
    • Lights are likely coming to Richie Ashburn Field in Gladwyne, after the Lower Merion Board of Commissioners voted to move forward with a memorandum of understanding to allow the Lower Merion Little League to build and operate lights there. The league will pay for the lights and can’t operate them after 10 p.m. (Main Line Times)
    • The Bryn Mawr Film Institute recently held the region’s first public showing of Ellen Jovin’s Rebel With a Clause, an indie grammar “docu-comedy” that’s as much about syntax as it is about human connection.
    • Members of the Lower Merion Township Police Department have donated a collective 800 hours of their time off to their colleague Dan Gilbert. The detective’s wife was diagnosed with Stage 4 colorectal cancer last year, and in a show of support, the department rallied to give him extra time to spend with his family. His wife, Lauren Gilbert, 42, has undergone surgeries and is currently on trial medications. (CBS News Philadelphia)

    đŸ« Schools Briefing

    • Tonight is course selection night for LMHS students and tomorrow is the school choice deadline. Tomorrow is also movie night for Penn Wynne Elementary, and there are middle school conferences Tuesday evening. See the district’s full calendar here.
    • For families who missed last week’s eighth grade to high school transition meeting, the district posted a video from the event, which you can watch here.
    • The district is hosting a presentation for parents and guardians with students receiving special education services that will focus on positive behavior support. It will be held virtually via Zoom on Wednesday from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
    • On Saturday, LMHS is hosting the 12th Annual Hope Classic to benefit the Angelman Syndrome Foundation. Angelman Syndrome is caused by a gene change and can result in developmental delays, speech and balance problems, mental disability, and seizures, according to the Mayo Clinic. The doubleheader will see the boys and girls basketball teams take on Haverford High’s teams at 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., respectively.

    đŸœïž On our Plate

    • A new restaurant is getting ready to take over the former il Fiore space in Bryn Mawr Village. Restaurateur Alessandro “Alex” Fiorello, 28, is planning a bar-forward Italian eatery that he says will be “a step up” from his Wayne restaurant, Alessandro’s Wood Fired Italian. Expect house-made pasta, wood-fired pizzas, and dry-aged proteins at the as-yet-unnamed restaurant.
    • Lark is among the region’s 50 best restaurants, according to a new ranking from Philadelphia Magazine, which put Chef Nick Elmi’s Bala Cynwyd restaurant at No. 41. The outlet noted that “there’s hardly a dish that isn’t simultaneously approachable and elevated,” calling out the cavatelli with escargot and bone marrow and pork cheek agnolotti with Taleggio.

    🎳 Things to Do

    🌎 Ardmore Passport: World Pours: Take a trip around the world by sampling global cuisine, craft beers, and other sips at this festival-style event, which will also feature live music. ⏰ Saturday, Jan. 31, 12:30 p.m. đŸ’” $64.17-$124.20 📍 Ardmore Music Hall

    🍿 Monday Night Movie: In honor of Groundhog Day, catch a screening of the iconic 1993 film starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell. Registration is required. ⏰ Monday, Feb. 2, 6:30-8:30 p.m. đŸ’” Free 📍 Penn Wynne Library

    🏡 On the Market

    A century-old Wynnewood Tudor with a heated pool

    The Tudor-style home has a heated pool.

    Built in 1924, this four-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bathroom Wynnewood Tudor blends past and present. This home’s first floor features a living room with a gas fireplace, a dining room, a “bonus room,” and a kitchen, with granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, and a separate coffee bar area. There are three bedrooms on the second floor, including the primary suite, which has dual closets, and an additional suite on the third level. The home also has a finished basement, a detached three-car garage, and a heated pool with a spa and waterfall. There’s an open house today from noon to 2 p.m.

    See more photos of the home here.

    Price: $1.15M | Size: 3,706 SF | Acreage: 0.71

    📈 Lower Merion market report

    • Median listing price: $525,000 (down $65,000 from November) 📉
    • Median sold price: $699,000 (down $173,500 from November) 📉
    • Median days on the market: 60 (up 20 days from November) 📈

    This Lower Merion market report is published on a monthly basis. Above is data for December from realtor.com.

    đŸ—žïž What other Lower Merion residents are reading this week:

    By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

    This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.

  • A plan to redevelop Gladwyne has residents split on their town’s future. What happens next?

    A plan to redevelop Gladwyne has residents split on their town’s future. What happens next?

    Three weeks after developers unveiled a sweeping plan to revitalize much of downtown Gladwyne, the affluent Main Line community has been abuzz with excitement, and skepticism, about the village’s future.

    On Jan. 8, Andre Golsorkhi, founder and CEO of design firm Haldon House, presented plans for a revitalized town center, complete with historic architecture, green spaces, and businesses that “fit the character” of the area. Golsorkhi told a packed school auditorium that Haldon House plans to bring in boutique shops, open an upscale-yet-approachable restaurant, and create spaces for communal gathering.

    At the meeting, Golsorkhi also revealed that the project was backed by Jeff Yass, Pennsylvania’s richest man, and his wife, Janine. Golsorkhi said the Yasses want to revitalize Gladwyne as part of a local “community impact project.” Haldon House and the Yasses, who live near Gladwyne, have spent over $15 million acquiring multiple properties at the intersection of Youngs Ford and Righters Mill Roads.

    The news drew a flurry of social media posts — and a write-up in a British tabloid. While some praised the proposal, others protested the changes headed toward their quaint community, and the conservative donor financing them.

    Renderings of a proposed revitalization project in Gladwyne, Pa. Design firm Haldon House is working with billionaire Jeff Yass to redevelop the Main Line village while preserving its historic architecture, developers told Gladwyne residents at a Jan. 8 meeting.

    What is, and isn’t, allowable?

    For some residents, one question has lingered: Is one family allowed to redevelop an entire village?

    A petition calling on Lower Merion Township to hold a public hearing and pass protections preventing private owners from consolidating control of town centers had gathered nearly four dozen signatures as of Friday.

    Around 4,100 people live in the 19035 zip code, which encompasses much of Gladwyne, according to data from the 2020 U.S. Census.

    “Residents deserve a say before their town is transformed. No one family, no matter how wealthy, should unilaterally control the civic and commercial core of a historic Pennsylvania community,” the petition reads.

    Yet much of Haldon House’s plan is allowable under township zoning code, said Chris Leswing, Lower Merion’s director for building and planning.

    Plans to refurbish buildings, clean up landscaping, and bring in new businesses are generally permitted by right, meaning the developers will not need approval from the township to move forward. Gladwyne’s downtown is zoned as “neighborhood center,” a zoning designation put on the books in 2023 that allows for small-scale commercial buildings and local retail and services. The zoning code, which is currently in use in Gladwyne and Penn Wynne, ensures commercial buildings can be no taller than two stories.

    The developers’ plans to open a new restaurant in the former Gladwyne Market and renovate buildings with a late-1800s aesthetic, including wraparound porches and greenery, are generally within the bounds of what is allowed, once they obtain a building permit.

    The Village Shoppes, including the Gladwyne Pharmacy, at the intersection of Youngs Ford and Righters Mill Roads in Gladwyne on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.

    More ambitious plans, however, like converting a residential home into a parking lot or burying the power lines that hang over the village, would require extra levels of approval, Leswing said.

    The developers hope to convert a residential property on the 900 block of Youngs Ford Road into a parking lot. Lower Merion generally encourages parking lots to be tucked behind buildings and does not allow street-facing parking, a measure designed to avoid a strip mall feel, Leswing said. In order to turn the lot into parking, the developers would need an amendment to the zoning code, which would have to be approved by the board of commissioners.

    Various approvals would also be needed to put Gladwyne’s power lines underground, an ambitious goal set by the Haldon House and Yass team.

    Leswing clarified that no official plans have been submitted, making it hard to say how long the process will take. It will be a matter of months, at least, before the ball really gets rolling.

    Leswing added the developers have been “so good about being locked into the community” and open to constructive feedback.

    Golsorkhi said it will be some time before his team can provide a meaningful update on the development, but expressed gratitude to the hundreds of residents who have reached out with questions, support, and concerns.

    Map of properties in Gladwyne bought or leased by the Yass family.

    From ‘110% in favor’ to ‘a tough pill to swallow’

    Fred Abrams, 65, a real estate developer who has lived in Gladwyne for seven years, said he and his wife are “110% in favor” of the redevelopment, calling it an “absolute no-brainer.”

    Many Gladwyne residents live in single-family homes that keep them in their own, sometimes isolating, worlds, his wife, Kassie Monaghan Abrams, 57, said.

    “Here’s an opportunity for being outside and meeting your neighbors and, to me, getting back to spending time with people,” she said of the proposal to create communal gathering areas.

    “I think it’s a very thoughtful, beautiful design,” Monaghan Abrams added.

    Some social media commenters called the proposal “charming” and “a fantastic revitalization.”

    Others were more skeptical.

    Ryan Werner, 40, moved to Gladwyne in 2012 with his wife, who grew up in the town.

    “One of the things I’ve kind of fallen in love with about Gladwyne is the sense of community,” said Werner, who has a background in e-commerce sales and is transitioning to work in the mental health space.

    Werner is not necessarily opposed to the renovations (although he loved the Gladwyne Market). Rather, he said, it’s “a tough pill to swallow” that Yass is promoting a community-oriented project while supporting President Donald Trump’s administration and Trump-affiliated groups.

    “I’m less opposed to just the commercial side of it and more grossed out by the involvement of certain people in it,” Werner said.

    Gladwyne is a Democratic-leaning community that voted overwhelmingly for former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.

    On social media, some griped about the changes.

    “The Village will be just like Ardmore and Bryn Mawr. Can’t undo it once they build it,” one commenter wrote in a Gladwyne Facebook group.

    Golsorkhi said in an email that the “enthusiasm, excitement and support” from the community have been “overwhelming.”

    This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.

  • A Gladwyne estate that can be split into three lots is for sale for $8.5 million

    A Gladwyne estate that can be split into three lots is for sale for $8.5 million

    The possibilities are what make a Gladwyne estate for sale on Country Club Road “a significant property,” said listing agent Lisa Yakulis.

    It spans 12.76 “very private” acres, said Yakulis, a broker associate at Kurfiss Sotheby’s International Realty. “It’s hard to find that size of a property in that area.”

    The 9,166-square-foot home sits on about four acres. A future owner could subdivide the lower part of the property to create two roughly four-acre lots. An existing easement would provide access to the additional lots.

    The property is on the market for $8.5 million.

    The home for sale on Country Club Road in Gladwyne sits on almost 13 acres, which can be broken into separate lots.

    Yakulis said she’s seen that on the Main Line in the years since the pandemic, “desirable building lots with that kind of acreage are, No. 1, very hard to find, and No. 2, there’s a fairly large buyer pool out there that’s looking for land in that location to build exactly what they want to build vs. buying a resale home.”

    The home on the property was custom built in 1993, and its floor plan is more open than homes of that time. It was designed to host the owners’ family and friends, which it has done for the last three decades.

    The house has six bedrooms, eight full bathrooms, and three half bathrooms. Many large windows provide panoramic views of the property. The home has an elevator, six fireplaces, a library, two laundry rooms, and flexible living spaces.

    The front door of the home opens to a chandelier and winding staircase.

    The primary suite has two separate bathrooms and large dressing rooms. The main kitchen includes two ovens, a large island with a stove, bar seating, and a refrigerator that can be concealed behind sliding wooden panels.

    The property has a total of three guest suites on the lower level, in a private section of the main level, and above one of two oversized two-car garages.

    The home’s lower level includes another large kitchen, a sauna, entertainment space, and a walk-in safe.

    The main kitchen includes three sinks, two ovens, and a large island with a stove.

    The property features stone terraces, a pool, landscaped grounds, and acres of open land. A cottage-like utility building equipped with a half bathroom is where the owners cleaned their dogs. But it also could be used as a gardening shed or workshop.

    Potential buyers who have toured the home said they like the privacy, views, and location. The Main Line property is near preserved open space, the Schuylkill Expressway, and Philadelphia Country Club. Yakulis said the home is on a quiet street with plenty of space between neighbors.

    The property has attracted people of various ages, including empty nesters who like the elevator and the guest suites that offer spaces for visiting children and grandchildren.

    “I get the comment when people come through that it’s a happy house, and it’s true,” Yakulis said. “You walk in there and the light pours in, and you can just tell that it’s a happy house. It has a good vibe.”

    The property was listed for sale in October.

    A gate opens to the circular driveway in front of the home.
  • Trash pickup, school closures, and rescheduled events: What you need to know post-snowstorm in Lower Merion

    Trash pickup, school closures, and rescheduled events: What you need to know post-snowstorm in Lower Merion

    The largest snowstorm in a decade just hit the Philadelphia area, closing schools and coating the roads with a sheen of slippery white stuff.

    Penn Wynne received 9.4 inches of snow on Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.

    Lower Merion lifted its snow emergency declaration at noon on Monday, though crews are continuing to do post-storm cleanup.

    Winter storm totals: How much snow and ice fell in the Philadelphia area?

    Trash and recycling will not be picked up Monday in Lower Merion, and a holiday schedule will go into effect. To figure out when your garbage will be picked up, use the township’s address lookup tool to determine what zone you live in. Then, use this chart to determine your holiday garbage pickup day. If you live in Zone 3, your garbage will be picked up on Thursday following today’s Monday snow “holiday.”

    The township has asked residents to bring their trash curbside because garbage trucks may not be able to get into alleys with the high volume of snow. Any missed collections from this week will be made up next week.

    Narberth residents can expect their normally scheduled trash pickup on Tuesday and Wednesday.

    Sidewalks must be cleared (36 inches in width) within 24 hours of the last flakes falling in both Lower Merion and Narberth (here are The Inquirer’s tips for shoveling snow safely). It’s illegal to throw or plow snow into the street.

    The Lower Merion School District has declared today a remote instruction day (rest in peace to the snow day), and all libraries and township offices are closed.

    Narberth Borough’s administrative offices are also closed, and any documents that need to be dropped off can be left in the secure lockboxes outside the building entrance on Haverford Avenue. Narberth Borough Hall’s multipurpose room will be open until 8 p.m. for residents who need access to heat, water, and power.

    Waldron Mercy Academy, Friends’ Central School, the Baldwin School, Agnes Irwin School, Holy Child School at Rosemont, and Gladwyne Montessori, and the Shipley School are closed. Merion Mercy Academy is having a remote learning day.

    Monday’s Coffee with a Cop has been rescheduled to Wednesday.

    This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.

  • ‘The favorite Auntie’: Woman who died after a car struck her wheelchair remembered at sentencing for the vehicle’s driver

    ‘The favorite Auntie’: Woman who died after a car struck her wheelchair remembered at sentencing for the vehicle’s driver

    She was more than just an unhoused person.

    That’s the way Sharon Cary-Irvine would like the world to remember her sister, Tracey.

    In 2024, Tracey Cary was struck and killed by a 39-year-old driver in Lower Merion as she crossed City Avenue in a wheelchair.

    The driver, Jamal McCullough, assessed his vehicle for damage before fleeing the scene without helping her or calling police, prosecutors said. He turned himself in to authorities after reports of the collision — and his photograph — aired across local news outlets.

    On Friday, McCullough was sentenced in Montgomery County Common Pleas court to serve three to six years in a state prison, the mandatory minimum for such a crime. While prosecutors said he was not at fault in the fatal collision because Cary was crossing outside of a posted crosswalk, they said his actions after the crash were criminal.

    For Cary-Irvine, the hearing was a chance to offer the public a more complete image of her late sister.

    Cary, 61, was an avid reader who loved children, traveling, and the outdoors, according to Cary-Irvine. She was a fan of spelling bee competitions, and she had a sense of humor: she was known for calling up her nieces and nephews and speaking to them as Cookie Monster, her sister said.

    “She had a love of people — babies were her specialty,” Cary-Irvine said. “She was the favorite Auntie. To know Tracey was to love Tracey.”

    Cary was also a mother to a son who is in his 20s, her sister said, and she held a variety of jobs throughout her life, working for the Philadelphia School District, St. Joseph’s University, and later UPS.

    She was a singer of gospel songs, and grew up attending Union Tabernacle Baptist Church in West Philadelphia.

    Before Cary’s death, the siblings’ father died from COVID-19, leading Cary to struggle with mental illness, her sister said. Soon she was living on the street.

    It was on the street where McCullough struck Cary shortly after 2 a.m. on Nov. 11, 2024.

    Surveillance footage showed that McCullough, of East Germantown, struck Cary with enough force to eject her from her wheelchair. After checking on his vehicle, he walked within feet of Cary’s body but did not stop to help her, prosecutors said.

    The father of two was en route to a shift as a sanitation worker with Waste Management.

    During his sentencing, McCullough apologized for the incident, which he said was an accident.

    “I want to apologize for my ignorance, apologize for maybe how I went about things,” McCullough said.

    “If I could take it back, I definitely would.”

    Minutes earlier, Cary-Irvine read a victim impact statement aloud, telling the court that, in her view, McCullough acted “entitled and without remorse” that morning.

    “This sentence is not about revenge — it’s an opportunity, perhaps your last, to reflect honestly on your life,” Cary-Irvine told McCullough.

    “If you do not learn from your mistakes,” she continued, “you will repeat them.”

  • This 28-year-old is about to open his third restaurant in the Philly suburbs

    This 28-year-old is about to open his third restaurant in the Philly suburbs

    Main Line restaurateur Alessandro “Alex” Fiorello — who is slowly growing a suburban Italian portfolio, with a Wayne osteria and West Chester pizzeria — is preparing to open a new, bar-forward concept at Bryn Mawr Village, 915 Lancaster Ave.

    The Bryn Mawr space, which opened in 2022 as the short-lived Marc Vetri-operated Fiore Rosso, most recently was Il Fiore. It closed last month.

    The bar at Fiore Rosso in Bryn Mawr, which was operating most recently as Il Fiore. It closed at the end of 2025.

    The new project will sit at the top of Fiorello’s three-tier restaurant lineup. His Wayne restaurant, Alessandro’s Wood Fired Italian, opened in 2020 as an upscale-casual neighborhood osteria with a strong takeout business and a busy dining room. Alessandro’s Pizzeria, which the self-taught chef opened in April, is positioned as a casual lunch and slice shop serving pizza, cheesesteaks, and salads.

    Fiorello grew up in the restaurant business. His father ran Fiorella’s CafĂ© in West Chester, while his mother’s family operated pizza shops in New York. Raised in Brooklyn, Fiorello worked in kitchens from a young age before returning to Chester County as a teenager.

    Fiorello said Enoteca Alessandro’s or Alessandro’s Enoteca were in the running for the name of the new Bryn Mawr spot.

    Fiorello, who said he is backed by investors, plans to maintain the restaurant’s industrial look, adding that the restaurant’s solid infrastructure would allow for a relatively fast turnaround.

    Dining room at Alessandro’s Wood Fired Italian, 133 N. Wayne Ave. in Wayne.

    “This new place will be a step up from Wayne,” Fiorello said. “Still approachable but more bar-focused, with a great bar scene.”

    The menu will remain Italian at its core, built around house-made pasta, wood-fired pizzas, and a wood-fired grill, with several signature dishes from Alessandro’s Wood Fired Italian carrying over. The new kitchen will also feature dry-aged proteins, using on-site aging refrigerators inherited with the space, and may incorporate subtle Japanese influences, including a small number of sushi-style items.

  • Get to know Narberth’s new mayor | Inquirer Lower Merion

    Get to know Narberth’s new mayor | Inquirer Lower Merion

    Hi, Lower Merion! 👋

    Dana Edwards may be a fairly new Narberth transplant, but the recently sworn-in mayor has a clear vision for the borough. Also this week, we look back at how Kobe Bryant spurred a high school basketball rivalry, Villanova University is now paying some of its athletes, plus the surprising spot that one Inquirer reporter says serves the best meal she’s eaten on the Main Line. We’re also gearing up for a (potentially big) snowstorm this weekend. Follow along here for the latest forecast.

    If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

    Narberth’s new mayor has a clear vision for the borough

    Dana Edwards was sworn in as mayor of Narberth earlier this month.

    Narberth’s new mayor may have only lived in the 4,500-person borough for five years, but he’s already got a vision for it.

    Dana Edwards, 53, was sworn into office earlier this month after securing the backing of Narberth’s Democratic committee and running unopposed in both the primary and general elections.

    Now the Puerto Rico native who’s lived in several other parts of the U.S. before settling in Narberth is focused on sustainable growth while maintaining the borough’s “hometown feel,” The Inquirer’s Denali Sagner reports.

    Read more about Edwards’ background and some of his goals for his term.

    How Kobe Bryant spurred a decades-long high school basketball rivalry

    Lower Merion, Chester, Kobe Bryant
    When the late Kobe Bryant came to Lower Merion, he helped shape a rivalry with Chester that endured.

    Decades may have passed, but a longtime rivalry between two high school basketball teams, begun in part by legend Kobe Bryant, still lives on today.

    When Bryant joined the Lower Merion Aces his freshman year, the school wasn’t a basketball powerhouse. But as the program improved, it soon built a rivalry with the much-more-stacked Chester High School, so much so that their matchups would often sell out venues.

    The Inquirer’s Alex Coffey delves into the rivalry’s roots and how Bryant played a role.

    💡 Community News

    • Saks Fifth Avenue’s parent company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last week, leaving some questions about the future of its stores. For the time being, the Saks on City Avenue in Bala Cynwyd will remain open while the company restructures. Here’s what we know so far.
    • Women’s apparel and accessories store Francesca’s, which has a location at Suburban Square in Ardmore, is reportedly closing its remaining stores after years of financial turmoil. Francesca’s filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in late 2020. (Fox Business)
    • Villanova University is among a handful of Pennsylvania colleges that are now paying some of its athletes directly. The move comes after a federal class-action lawsuit last year regarding student athlete compensation. Villanova said it will primarily pay athletes on its basketball teams.
    • Coulter Place, an apartment community at Suburban Square, is now open. The 131-unit, five-story building has a fitness center, clubroom, game room, pool, coworking spaces, and pet-care spaces with rents ranging from about $3,030 to $7,035 per month.
    • A handful of Philadelphia Police Department employees live in and around Lower Merion, according to a new Inquirer analysis. An increasing number of Philadelphia police employees — about a third of full-time staff — live outside the city, with four who reside in Bala Cynwyd, three in Bryn Mawr, and two each in Ardmore, Narberth, Villanova, and Wynnewood. See a map of where employees live here.
    • Bala Cynwyd resident Jenny Sved has been named the new executive director of Teach PA, the statewide affiliate of Jewish education advocacy organization Teach Coalition, which represents Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy and Perelman Jewish Day School.
    • A new pet boutique, Mila’s Pup Tienda, is coming to Ardmore, taking over the space at 18 E. Lancaster Ave.
    • 6abc recently caught up with Carolyn Vachani, the owner of Plant 4 Good in Ardmore. When the former nurse was ready to retire, she decided to open the shop at 100 Cricket Ave. to help connect others to plants and gardening. See the segment here.
    • Wynnewood’s English Village recently marked a milestone, turning 100 last year, and a century later still remains a coveted, if under-the-radar spot for homebuyers. The village sits between Cherry Lane and Wister Road and spans 29 Tudor-style homes. (Main Line Today)

    đŸ« Schools Briefing

    • The district is hosting its third strategic plan community input meeting on Wednesday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Lower Merion High School cafeteria. There, members of the community can share their thoughts on the district’s strategic plan for 2026 to 2031.
    • Tonight is Welsh Valley’s winter choral concert. The school board will meet from 7 to 9 p.m. on Monday, and there will be tours of Harriton High for eighth grade students and their families on Wednesday, which is also course selection night. See the district’s full calendar here.
    • Lower Merion High School’s wrestling team recently took home third place overall in the Central League Championship Tournament, held at Harriton High School. It was the team’s best overall performance. Senior Sam Soeffing also took home first place in his competition.

    đŸœïž On our Plate

    • With a more than 700-person waitlist, a Gladwyne restaurant is surprisingly tough to get into, but it’s the best meal The Inquirer’s Kiki Aranita has eaten on the Main Line. Why’s it so difficult to score a table? Partly because Carlton Commons is in senior-living community Waverly Heights and requires residency. For those with friends or relatives there, it’s worth tagging along for the osso buco, butternut squash risotto, rigatoni alla vodka, or the signature tomato aspic.
    • Bikini Burger, a new eatery at 44 Rittenhouse Place in Ardmore, is hosting a ribbon cutting today at 11:30 a.m. to mark its official opening. Its menu includes burgers, milkshakes, and fries.
    • Looking for a non-alcoholic cocktail? Char & Stave in Ardmore has a barrel-aged “Old Fashioned,” which Philadelphia Magazine says is among the best alcohol-free sips on area menus currently, noting its barrel-aged espresso base gives it “a bourbon-like, oaky smoothness.”

    🎳 Things to Do

    đŸŽ¶ The Music of BeyoncĂ© and More for Kids: This kid-friendly show will feature music from the iconic artist. ⏰ Sunday, Jan. 25, 11:45 a.m. đŸ’” $20.44 📍 Ardmore Music Hall

    đŸŽ„ The Awful Truth: Catch a screening of this Cary Grant and Irene Dunne screwball comedy. ⏰ Wednesday, Jan. 28, 7:15 p.m. đŸ’” $11.75-$16.25 📍 Bryn Mawr Film Institute

    🏡 On the Market

    A four-bedroom Wynnewood stone Colonial

    The stone Colonial was built in 1925 and spans over 4,000 square feet.

    Built in 1925, this spacious Wynnewood stone Colonial has a classic exterior and a contemporary updated interior. The home’s first floor features a living room with a fireplace, and a dining room that opens onto the kitchen, which has a waterfall peninsula with a breakfast bar. There are four bedrooms and three full bathrooms on the second floor, and a “bonus room” on the third floor. The home also has a finished basement with a half bathroom.

    See more photos of the home here.

    Price: $1.25M | Size: 4,173 SF | Acreage: 0.18

    đŸ—žïž What other Lower Merion residents are reading this week:

    By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

    This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.

  • Daniel Segal, longtime Philadelphia attorney and community activist, has died at 79

    Daniel Segal, longtime Philadelphia attorney and community activist, has died at 79

    Daniel Segal, 79, of Philadelphia, cofounder and shareholder of the Hangley Aronchick Segal Pudlin & Schiller law firm, adjunct law professor at the University of Pennsylvania, former cochair of the Philadelphia Soviet Jewry Council, onetime board president at the Juvenile Law Center, mentor, and “mischievous mensch,” died Thursday, Jan. 8, of stomach cancer at his home.

    Born and reared in Washington, Mr. Segal moved to Philadelphia in 1976 to teach at what is now Penn Carey Law School. He went into private law practice in 1979, became cochair of a litigation department in 1993, and joined with colleagues in 1994 to establish Hangley Aronchick Segal & Pudlin.

    For more than 40 years, until his recent retirement, Mr. Segal handled all kinds of cases for all kinds of clients, including The Inquirer. He was an expert in juvenile law, defamation, the First Amendment, professional ethics, education, civil rights, and other legal issues.

    He was president of the board at the Juvenile Law Center and worked pro bono for years, beginning in 2009, to help represent more than 2,400 juvenile victims and win millions of dollars in settlements in what is known as the Luzerne County “kids-for-cash” case. In that case, two judges were convicted of taking kickbacks for illegally sending juveniles to two private for-profit detention facilities.

    “This is one of the worst judicial scandals in history,” Mr. Segal told The Inquirer in 2009. “The people you’re stepping on are the true, true little guys.”

    Mr. Segal was honored in 2010 by the Philadelphia Bar Foundation.

    Among his other notable cases are a 1985 workplace racial discrimination dispute, a 1990 libel case against The Inquirer, and a 2000 trial about the city taxing outdoor advertisers. “Dan Segal was a living testament to professional excellence,” said Mark Aronchick, his law partner and longtime friend.

    Law partner and friend John Summers said: “He was a great teacher and mentor.” Marsha Levick, cofounder of the Juvenile Law Center, said: “He was a brilliant, steady partner who made us smarter and kept us laughing.”

    Mr. Segal clerked for Chief Judge David Bazelon in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in 1974 and for Supreme Court Associate Justice Thurgood Marshall in 1975. He was active with the Philadelphia Bar Association, Philadelphia Common Pleas Court, and the Penn Law School American Inn of Court.

    He wrote articles for legal journals and letters to the editor of The Inquirer and Daily News. He spoke at panels and conferences, earned honors from legal organizations and trade publications, and was named the Thomas A. O’Boyle adjunct professor of law at Penn in 1992.

    This story and photo features Mr. Segal (left) and appeared in The Inquirer in 1984.

    The son of a rabbi, Mr. Segal was cochair of the Soviet Jewry Council in the 1980s, and he organized rallies and marches for social justice and human rights. He traveled to Israel often and to the old Soviet Union several times to secretly support Jews not permitted by government officials to immigrate to Israel.

    “We are persuaded that the Soviet Jews are pawns in the Soviet-American relationship,” he told The Inquirer in 1985.

    He served as president of the board of directors at what is now Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy and held leadership roles with the Jewish Community Relations Council, the New Israel Fund, Mazon: A Jewish Response to Hunger, and other organizations.

    Colleagues at the New Israel Fund praised his “characteristic kindness” and “gentle and sparkling humor” in an online tribute. They said: “He was everyone’s favorite board member.”

    Mr. Segal and his wife, Sheila, married in 1968.

    Mr. Segal enjoyed pranks and funny jokes, even at work, and neighbors called him Silly Dan. His son Josh said: “His warmth, humor, and humility meant that he could connect with just about anyone.” A friend said he was a “mischievous mensch.”

    He earned his law degree in 1973 and was executive editor of the Law Review at Harvard University Law School. He earned a bachelor’s degree in politics and economics at Yale University in 1968 and a master’s degree in international relations from the London School of Economics in 1969.

    He taught elementary school for a year in Washington and spent another year in Europe before moving to Philadelphia. “He taught us just how important it is to stand up for what is right,” his son Eli said, “and to do so not only with conviction but with humility and kindness, and without a thought of getting personal credit.”

    Daniel Segal was born July 4, 1946. He started dating Sheila Feinstein in ninth grade, and they married after college in 1968. They had sons Josh and Eli, and lived in Center City and Lower Merion before moving to Fairmount in 2018.

    Mr. Segal’s sons said: “Our dad showed us that relationships are the heart of a life well-lived by nurturing lifelong friendships.”

    Mr. Segal loved chocolate and ice cream. He recovered from a traumatic brain injury 20 years ago, and he and his wife traveled to Iceland, Peru, Vietnam, Europe, Japan, and elsewhere.

    He doted on his family and friends, and he and his wife rented vacation places every summer to bring his sons and their families together. “Neither of us were surprised that our dad always made our kids feel so loved,” his son Eli said. “Because that was just how he made us feel.”

    Survivors give advice about mourning their loved ones, as told to The Inquirer’s obit writer

    In addition to his wife and sons, Mr. Segal is survived by six grandchildren, a sister, a brother, and other relatives.

    Services were held Sunday, Jan. 11.

    Donations in his name may be made to the New Israel Fund, 1320 19th St. N.W., Suite 1400, Washington, D.C. 20036; and Mazon: A Jewish Response to Hunger, Box 6095, Albert Lea, Minn. 56007.

    Mr. Segal’s sons said: “He was always there for us and made clear that he always would be for as long as he could.”
  • Suburban Square now has apartments

    Suburban Square now has apartments

    Apartments have come to Suburban Square.

    This week, owner Kimco Realty and developer Bozzuto Development announced the opening of Coulter Place, the first apartment community in the Ardmore shopping destination.

    The five-story, mixed-use development includes 131 apartments with one to three bedrooms and about 20,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space. Amenities for residents include a fitness center, clubroom, game room, pool, coworking spaces, and pet-care spaces. It has two courtyards and garage parking with electric-vehicle charging stations.

    The promise of apartment residents helped attract new retailers to Suburban Square, including New Balance, Sugared + Bronzed, and the apparel brand Rhone on the ground floor of the apartment building.

    The complex is one of a few projects planned in recent years that have added or will add hundreds of apartments near Lancaster Avenue in Ardmore. One Ardmore, a 110-unit apartment complex, opened in 2019 after a yearslong campaign by residents to stop it. The long-awaited Piazza development is expected to add 270 apartments and almost 30,000 square feet of retail space when it opens in a couple of years.

    This rendering shows the outdoor pool at Coulter Place.

    Conor Flynn, CEO of Kimco Realty, said in a statement that Suburban Square is an “iconic, walkable destination” and that the addition of apartments creates “a more vibrant, connected experience for residents, retailers, and visitors alike.”

    “Coulter Place represents the next chapter in Suburban Square’s evolution and a clear example of how we’re unlocking long-term value through thoughtful mixed-use development,” Flynn said.

    The apartments are across from Trader Joe’s and the Ardmore Farmers Market and within walking distance to the Ardmore station for SEPTA and Amtrak trains.

    Apartments available for lease at Coulter Place range from one-bedroom, one-bathroom units for about $3,030 per month to a three-bedroom, two-bathroom unit for $7,035 per month.

    Philadelphia-based JKRP Architects designed the apartment building.

    Suburban Square was developed in 1928 and now has about 80 shops, restaurants, fitness spaces, and more. Businesses include Apple, SoulCycle, Warby Parker, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, CAVA, and Di Bruno Bros.

    This rendering shows one of the courtyards for residents of Coulter Place.
  • This retirement-community meal was the best I’ve eaten on the Main Line

    This retirement-community meal was the best I’ve eaten on the Main Line

    The intimate dining room is hushed but for the clinking of glasses and silverware clattering on gleaming plates. There are only 32 seats. The polished wooden chairs are plushly upholstered. The paintings and a stylized metalwork map that adorn the room are tasteful. A glass wine room, lit golden from within, casts soft light on the silver damask-swathed tables, as do the Napa winery-esque modern chandeliers.

    This is Carlton Commons, the heart of senior-living, life-planning community Waverly Heights in Gladwyne.

    The mansion in which this dining room is housed was once the elegant Main Line estate of a railway baron. Now, it has the air of a very quiet cruise ship, complete with a dress code: dresses for women, dinner jackets for men.

    Dining room at the Waverly Heights in Gladwyne, Pa., on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025.

    This is a restaurant that has a waiting list that’s ostensibly 710 people, about as long as Royal Sushi’s notorious Resy waitlist. But it‘s arguably far more difficult to get into. You need to be 62 years of age to be a resident (who can bring guests of any age), and the cost of admission for a one-bedroom dwelling requires a $336,000 minimum down payment. (Deluxe apartments start at over a million dollars — not a surprise for wealthy Gladwyne.)

    An osso buco collapses into a tangle of tender fibers at the prod of a fork, melting into the slightly tangy goat cheese polenta puddled beneath. Crunchy fried potato slivers add pleasing texture to each bite. A butternut squash risotto is just as satisfying, a master class in texture, with creamy squash trapped in distinct grains of arborio, beset with balsamic-scented curls of slow-cooked sweet onion.

    If I closed my eyes, I could very well think I was dining at Le VirtĂč.

    Chicken cutlet with rigatoni and vodka sauce at Waverly Heights.

    There’s a perfectly al dente rigatoni alla vodka upon which a crisp chicken cutlet is nestled, then topped with an oozing cloud of burrata. (It’s almost identical to the thoroughly satisfying one I just had at Center City’s Wine Dive.)

    The specialty of the house is a curiously delicious tomato aspic, served with a tiny slice of cucumber and a dollop of Hellman’s mayo. No staff member was able to explain its origins, as it predated all of them. “It was always here,” said Waverly Heights’ white-toqued executive chef Michael F. Tiernan, 47. “And it is a fan favorite.”

    Tomato aspic with mayo and cucumber.

    When Tiernan interviewed for the position in 2017, he was expressly told to not touch the tomato aspic. He could change the shape — the kitchen’s cookie-cutter collection forms it into hearts, circles, and triangles — but he was not permitted to riff on the recipe, which consists of unflavored gelatin, tomato juice, vegetable juice, celery, onion, and olives. “It’s a very traditional, Old World-style recipe,” said CEO Tom Garvin.

    Tiernan has worked at Waverly Heights for eight years, with a cumulative 18 years under his belt cooking at continuing-care facilities. In addition to managing Carlton Commons and changing its menu every three months, he cooks for a packed calendar of special events. On one of my visits, he was preparing for New Year’s Eve with poached lobster and filet mignon for a dinner that would be a prelude to dancing. The only major difference between a New Year’s party at Waverly Heights and a typical one: Their ball drops at 9 p.m. “We celebrate like we’re in Australia,” Garvin quipped.

    Executive Chef Michael Tiernan at Waverly Heights in Gladwyne, Pa.

    I dined at Carlton Commons twice, once as a guest of a friend’s parents who are residents and again after I contacted the life-plan community (the preferred term over retirement community, as I was informed by Garvin), who indulged my request for an interview with no small amount of incredulousness. But I loved my first meal there.

    And I was deeply curious. A bookshelf in the community’s library is stacked with books written by residents, including volumes on psychology, cardiovascular disorders, and politics. Carlton Commons’ regular diners had careers as physicians, ambassadors, and scientists. How does one cook for residents like those of Waverly Heights?

    Well, first, by changing the menu every 90 days, and then by packing it with global influences, frequently rendered into Italian-rooted comfort foods. And hosting lots of themed parties and events.

    Wine cellar displayed near the entrance of the dining room at the Waverly Heights in Gladwyne, Pa., on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025.

    The back of house is, by necessity, an institutional operation. Carlton Commons and Waverly Heights’ other dining rooms and cafes are executed in partnership with Unidine, the life-plan community’s version of Aramark, though Carlton Commons’ chef has significant creative control over the menus. The pasta that winds up on my plate tastes far less institutional at many places I’ve eaten, including the 100-layer lasagna at Borromini in Rittenhouse.

    The prices for me, a single guest, are shockingly low. It’s $37.50 plus tax for a full meal, including an appetizer, soup or salad, entree, and dessert. No tipping is permitted. I am unable to pay more than $5.75 for a glass of chardonnay, and a nip of Maker’s Mark costs $4.75. (There’s no sommelier on staff, but there is a wine committee consisting of opinionated residents.)

    My first dinner there had some slight hiccups. One of my dining companions ordered a steak “still pink inside” that arrived well done, but it was swiftly replaced by an appropriately cooked one. Another dining companion was startled to discover that her iced tea was presweetened, which took more than a few minutes to rectify.

    The butternut squash risotto at Waverly Heights in Gladwyne, Pa., on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025.

    My edamame dumplings swam in a too heavy-handed pour of bracingly salty soy sauce that would have worked better as a dipping sauce, but the dumplings themselves were delightful crispy golden pockets of gently mashed soybeans. My miso sea bass was pristinely roasted, flaking apart into succulent morsels with a gentle nudge.

    Overall, the food is comforting, gently refined, and on trend in every which way, even to the surprise of Waverly Heights’ staff (down to the baked potatoes, available as a side every night). And the very early reservations — Carlton Commons seats diners between 5:30 and 7:15 p.m., and everyone is asleep by last call — reflect recent data that indicate diners are eating out earlier than ever. And I assure you, many of those residents listen to vinyl records, just like in Philly’s listening bars.

    Dining at Carlton Commons reminded me that sometimes, the best meals aren’t found in the places you’d expect.