• inhaled an unknown quantity of engine exhaust gases
• outlasted a competitor who opened a rival food cart in 2000
• tried to make sales while protestors displayed pictures of aborted fetuses a few feet away in 2002
• evaded anti-graffiti chemicals used to clean the Courthouse in 2005
• had to predict the day's weather and suffer dampness and cold when he's wrong

Despite the drawbacks, 45-year old "Wally" has been coming to the corner for the past twenty-two years, where he is as much a part of the town center landscape as the "Old Glory" statue which provides a backdrop to his operation. Regulars know him for his "dogs," but also like to tell stories about the time he won a car on Wheel of Fortune, or his appearances on the David Letterman show in 1987 when he stopped an electric fan using only his tongue. Some even remember him as a criminal justice major who graduated from WCU in 1983.

"Wally" has also provided reporters for the Daily Local News with a steady stream of quotations over the years. Regarding the Bicentennial Parking Garage, which boosted his sales: "It's one of the greatest structures they've built in this town." (DLN 4/25/2001) On the news that the World Trade Center had been destroyed: "Everyone is pretty devastated, then they get angry ... I'm pretty upset. I have friends in New York ..." (DLN 8/12/2001) Regarding the controversy generated by a South Philadelphia cheesesteak vendor who refused to serve Spanish-speaking customers: "You can speak any language you want as long as you have U.S. money in your pocket." (DLN 6/15/2006). He even got a positive review in the Philadelphia Inquirer when i reviewed the West Chester restaurant scene in November 2003 -- "his dog topped with excellent homemade chili is one of the best ways I can think of to spend $1.50."

Advertising space available

Although a hot dog is a pretty stable commodity, the hot dog business has changed over time. Besides adding new drinks to the menu, "Wally" also sells kielbasa and hot sausage in a variety of configurations. A few years ago, he opened a second cart on the Conchester Pike in Dlaware County. The most unusual innovation has been to sell advertising space on his cart to local businesses. Although none of it equals his success on television, it pays the mortgage. Best of all, it gives him an excuse to hang out in the center of West Chester and watch as it changes and grows.

As described previously by WCJIM, the Wyeth property contains 32 acres bounded by S. Adams, Bolmar and E. Nields Streets, plus some mixed-use properties along the south side of E. Union Street that include the Senior Center, Judge Knapp's District Court #15- 1-04 and some other offices and retail businesses. There is one block of houses in the 300-block of S. Adams Street that abut the northwest corner of the property, and a large number of houses to the west of the property, on the west side of the railroad tracks.

In addition to the East End neighbors, Brian Fanelli of the Daily Local News, Sue Bayne (Dem, Ward 4) and Steve Bond (Rep, Ward 2) of Borough Council, B.I.D. director Malcolm Johnstone, and Borough Council candidates Cassandra Jones (Dem, Ward 2) and Jim Jones (Dem, Ward 6) also attended. Most said they were there because they wanted to hear what the neighbors has to say.

The neighbors did not disappoint. They were vocal and generally critical of both proposals, citing fears that housing would turn into student rental units, that liquor licenses at restaurants and/or the hotel would create more alcohol-fueled nuisances, and that either plan would increase traffic through their neighborhood. PREIT spokesman Grayson acknowledged their concerns, but then turned it around by asking "what would you like to see developed on the property" and added that any proposals also had to pay their way, since PREIT is a for-profit company.

After a bit, some ideas began to emerge. They included affordable housing, a large grocery store, a youth center to replace the YMCA, a movie theater and something that would provide jobs. Grayson did not rule out any of these ideas (although WCJIM wondered if the Melton Center, located two blocks away, could better serve local youth). Grayson did explain the physical needs of a major grocery store, which could be as much as two acres of floor space and four acres of parking (at a standard ratio of 5 spaces per each 1000 square feet of floor space). He also stressed repeatedly that everything shown on the plans presented to the group was tentative, and could be omitted or reoriented to serve the community. Regarding the ball stadium, there was no obvious support, but Grayson explained that in comparison to the other proposed uses, a ball stadium would consume more borough services without generating any extra tax revenue. He described it as an attraction that would bring people to the Borough, triggering comments from neighbors that they did not want to bear the burden of accommodating outsiders and the businesses that served them.

Bill McLaughlin of S. Walnut Street offered several proposals. One was to include restaurants with liquor licenses, but use leases to restrict their hours of operation. Another was to reduce the amount of commercial space in order to avoid direct competition with the Town Center, but include enough to accommodate people who work in the office space and to provide convenience to nearby residents. He also urged that any plan minimize the amount of foot traffic through adjacent neighborhoods, and include a mixture of housing types.

PREIT spokesman Grayson said that two other alternatives would be to build a mall that covers the entire property or to build only office space. He also acknowledged a third option -- to walk away and no do anything with the site. At the moment, his group plans to ask Borough Council to rezone the parcel to "Town Center" so that they can proceed with any of the uses they have under consideration.

The Governor's visit took place on a grassy area next to E. Market Street at 10:30am on Monday. He was joined by 16 members of the state legislature from the southeastern part of the state as he explained an energy conservation proposal that offers a variety of financial incentives to "build green," use less fuel and otherwise reduce our energy consumption. He also took a few minutes to challenge the math of critics -- the Governor said they were all Republican -- in the State Senate who claim that his proposal is a tax. Assuming the Governor's figures were correct, the total cost per taxpayer is about $5.40 per year, yet anyone who takes advantage of the program stands to gain thousands of dollars in rebates. WCJIM has friends in other places where such programs are already in operation, and has never heard a complaint. So Rendell's question -- "why are they trying to block this?" -- sounded pretty reasonable.

One of the most interesting things was the information provided by the neighbors, some of whom lived on the block since the early 1950s. That was only a few years after nearly a dozen houses were removed to make room for what became West Chester's last A&P grocery store. The first A&P -- Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company -- opened in New York City in 1859, but the chain did not reach West Chester until the 1920s. By 1932 there were four stores in the Borough: in the "Woolworth Building" at 7 W. Gay St., at 25 N. Church, at 118 E. Market, and at 302 S. High Street. Like everything else, the grocery business was affected by the post-war boom in automobile ownership, so in December 1949, the company consolidated its stores into a single, modern facility at what was then known as 317 W. Gay Street (modern number 313). It offered separate meet, produce and dairy sections, a frozen food section, and of course, parking for a hundred cars next to the building and across Market Street on what later became the Social Security Administration lot in the 1960s.

The neighbors shared stories about the old County Prison (located on the site of the new County Justice Center), corner stores, Joe's Sportsmen's Lounge (now known as Rex's) and some of the people who lived in the neighborhood in the last half century. Then, in what turned out to be an unexpected treat, one of the neighbors invited everyone else to tour his 1850s-era house and backyard, both of which have been remodeled and refurbished in exquisite style.

That bit of West Chester history was a fitting appetizer for Tuesday night's event when WCJIM travelled to Mortonville (where Strasburg Road crosses the west branch of the Brandywine Creek) to help plan next week's "Town Tour & Village Walk." The meeting was chaired by local historian Jane Dorchester, and included guides from the East Fallowfield Historical Commission, plus several experienced volunteers from West Chester. The Town Tour series offers a history walking tour in a different Chester County community each week through the summer, and this year, for the first time, Mortonville is on the list.

After meeting in the former wheelwright's shop that now serves as the headquarters of Brandywine Outfitters, the group took a walk through the village, whose oldest structure dates from before 1800. On tour night (Thursday, July 12, starting at 6pm), uniformed police will be present to slow traffic along Strasburg Road, but last Tuesday the group had to stay alert to avoid becoming roadkill. Dorchester led the tour and provided background information for the group, whose members each supplied something from their own area of expertise. (Not surprisingly, WCJIM's contribution was some of the history of the Wilmington & Northern Railroad which served Mortonville from 1869 to 1971, and which still carries freight between Coatesville and Wilmington several times a week.) Afterwards, the West Chester contingent returned home to prepare for the July 4th holiday.

A side note: While visiting Mortonville a week earlier, WCJIM took a side trip to Coatesville via Modena and South Coatesville. If you're interested in industrial history and you've never done it, it's worth a look. The Mortonville-Modena Road continues all the way to First Avenue in Coatesville and offers a view of the remains of more than five miles of steel mills. Expect WCJIM to learn more about this area in the coming months.

With a week left until tour time, WCJIM can now turn his attention back to the contemporary Borough. There's "Swingin' Summer Thursday tonight (July 5), First Friday tomorrow night, and the Twilight Criterium Bike Race on Saturday night. Then Borough meetings resume next week with Zoning Hearing Board on Monday, and Council committees on Monday and Tuesday. Stay tuned for details.

The University has requested two kinds of permission from the Borough. One is to construct tall buildings -- one will be 71 feet and the other will be 83 feet tall -- in the "Institutional" zoning district, which corresponds to the University's North Campus boundary and includes the block bounded by Rosedale, New, Sharpless and High Streets minus the row of houses on the west side of High Street between Sharpless St. and Filano Hall at the corner of High and University Avenue. [NOTE: The Institutional District does not include either the parking garage on the north side of Sharpless Street at Church, or the parking lot on the west side of New Street at Nields.] The zoning code provides for 40-foot tall buildings without extra approval, but requires a conditional use hearing for something taller (up to the height of an existing tall building if located within 100 feet and on the same lot). Thus, the University is required to go before Borough Council for one hearing -- a conditional use hearing.

The second kind of permission is for the use of the proposed buildings. The Institutional District lists uses "by right" (i.e. without special approval), "accessory uses" such as parking and signs, and a single type of "use by special exception" -- for "student housing." Approvals for special exceptions must come from the Zoning Hearing Board, thus setting the stage for a second public hearing.

Expecting both hearings to be long and complicated, the University's lawyer requested permission to combine them by having members of the Zoning Hearing Board and Borough Council attend a single hearing. Last Monday, members of the Zoning Hearing Board (which includes WCJIM agreed, and the following night, members of Borough Council's PZBID committee chose a date for the hearing, which will be discussed, and presumably approved, at next week's regular Borough Council meeting.

Stay tuned to WCJIM for announcements regarding the date and time of the public hearing.

Borough Council and the Zoning Hearing Board?

Since the Borough, like any other property owner, may become involved in land use cases, Borough Council (actually, its solicitor) can appear as a plaintiff or defendant before the Zoning Hearing Board just like anybody else. There are only two ways in which the two bodies intersect -- by law, Borough Council appoints the members of the Zoning Hearing Board, and by custom, the Zoning Hearing Board meets in a Borough Building.

Student Housing and Student Home?

So what is a "student"? According to the Borough code, a student is "an individual who is enrolled or has made application and been accepted at a university, college or trade school and is taking at least six credit hours and whose primary occupation is as a student or who is on a semester or summer break from studies at a college, university or trade school. The term `student' shall apply to both undergraduate and graduate students alike."
 

After the suffocating heat from the beginning of this week, the weather turned lovely on Thursday. Although the heat and humidity are scheduled to return, the National Weather Service predicts that Sunday's temperatures will be in the mid-80s and the skies will be partially cloudy. The cloud cover is good news since it keeps temperatures down, and the change of showers late in the day means there will a breeze in the afternoon. Of course, it might also mean rain late in the afternoon, but at least there's no chance of a rain-out, like that which occurred in 2004.

If you haven't been paying attention, then the Recreation Department and six local restaurants are offering a chance to look at some of them on Friday night, and get dinner or drink discounts while helping out the Summer Camp program, all at the same time. The Recreation Department is offering wristbands for $15 that get you in the door of places like the Iron Hill Brewery, Baxter's, Ryan's, Barnaby's, Kildare's and Magrogan's Oyster House to hear a Turk's Head band.

Sound Bites wristband
available at the Recreation office
401 E. Gay St.

As far as celebrities go, WMMR emcee Jaxson will appear on stage from 3-5pm, and according to information received yesterday by WCJIM, a nationally-known figure will attend for at least an hour in the late afternoon. [Hint: It's the political season] Considerably less significant, WCJIM will also be present for most of the day, so say hello if you see him and tell him what you like or dislike about this website.

One last thought -- do not plan to drive to the festival unless you've made arrangements to park at a friend's house and your friend lives at least one block away from Everhart Park. With an expected crowd of between 10,000 and 15,000 people over the course of the event, the police will close off Borough streets on three sides of the park (i.e. Miner, Brandywine and Union), and adjacent streets will be parked full by the time the festival starts at noon. So park somewhere else if you must drive, or walk to the festival if you can. Don't worry about food -- there will be plenty of vendors in the park -- but bring sun screen, a blanket and whatever else will help you to enjoy an afternoon of music.

For more information about the Turk's Head Festival, visit turkshead.west-chester.com.

In this case, the good idea is an automated system that can direct calls to the telephones of Borough residents whenever there is a need -- to all of people in a single block in case of a street closing, or to the entire Borough in the event that aliens invade. The vendor, Connect CTY, touts the flexibility of its system to contact whoever needs it, whenever they need it.

Unfortunately, the system is not free. The normal charge is $2.50 per household (about $15,000 per year) and the firm will guarantee that rate for three years, starting next January. To entice Borough Council to give their system a try, Connect CTY has offered to charge only $1.50 per household (a total of $9398) to set it up and operate it for the remainder of the year. the main element of the set-up consists of creating a database of Borough telephone numbers and adding it to Connect CTY's computers.

The discussion, which started in last week's Finance Committee meeting, carried over to last night's work session. Chuck Christy (Dem, Ward 3) expressed strong support for purchasing the service immediately, asking "who can put a price on [something that could locate] a lost child?" Sue Bayne (Dem, Ward 4) made the case for waiting until Council begins to prepare its 2008 budget by pointing out that even though this year's payment would come from money left over from another budget item, Council has not yet received mid-year figures from all of its departments, so no one can say whether the Borough is currently within its 2007 budget or not. Bayne observed, "the prudent choice is to honor the commitments that we said we would honor" when last year's budget was created. In the end, she was joined by Council members Brown, Fitzpatrick and Smith, and this item was marked for additional discussion at tonight's regular meeting.