Germantown Station's Area Concept Plan imagines new housing, green space, and more

The wheels of change are in motion at SEPTA’s Germantown Station, and the transit authority wants your input to stay on track. The property at 120-128 East Chelten Avenue is the subject of a Station Area Concept (SAC), which explores how the station currently serves the community and envisions development plans for how it might function optimally.

The SAC draws on previous planning documents, market data, and resident feedback to imagine potential scenarios.

The SAC is part of SEPTA’s Transit Oriented Communities (TOC) initiative. TOC aims to improve the commuter experience by better integrating the city’s transit system with commuters’ busy lifestyles.

Germantown Station is a regional rail stop on the Chestnut Hill East line, and a bus stop on the K, the 41 (formerly the J), and the 26 routes. The large empty lot adjacent to the rail station is the main focus of the concept, and plans for the vacant land could include mixed-use housing and commercial real estate, upgraded streetscapes, and revitalized green space.

The lot at 120-128 E. Chelten Avenue. (Photo: Danielle Smith)

Jennifer Dougherty is the Manager of Long Range Planning at SEPTA. She says the transit authority is prioritizing a shared vision with the community and a focus on accessibility in any redevelopment plans.

“Through our Transit Oriented Communities guidelines, we have a very clear statement and goal that we are looking for an affordability component wherever possible in our projects,” Dougherty says.

Local residents, especially those who use the station frequently, are encouraged to share their thoughts on how the project should proceed. To solicit input from the public, SEPTA will hold the Germantown Station Area Concept Open House on Tuesday, March 11, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Joseph E. Coleman Library.

Dougherty says there’s broad consensus that mixed-use development with ground-floor businesses and apartments above, would make the best use of the space. But Germantowners should attend the Open House to ensure their hopes for the site are heard.

“We do wanna get their feedback on housing affordability and gentrification. We wanna hear their concerns, and we want to see if we can undertake the next step…on pursuing a zoning remapping for the site,” she says.

John Graves, Executive Director of Faith Community Development Corporation, is interested in hearing more from SEPTA at the March 11 meeting. He would like to see the lot developed into something that benefits everyone in the neighborhood.

“When you have vacant lots that historically have been eyesores or havens for, you know illicit activity and/or trash, you gotta do something with them…you gotta turn them around and you got to put some kind of business or housing on the land to make it attractional,” Graves says.

The SAC plan and TOC initiative are part of SEPTA’s larger strategic plan, SEPTA Forward. The SEPTA Forward plan seeks to overhaul the city’s transit network by 2035.