New plans for Cheltenham redevelopment with controversial $4.5M pool project show more houses than first proposed
There are more houses planned for the Melrose development than before, according to a county review of the Cheltenham project that also raised potential parking issues for the proposed public pools.
A county review of a revised plan for the former Melrose Country Club shows more than two dozen more houses than in earlier versions.
The mixed-use development proposal, set on about 115 acres on the southern end of Cheltenham Township, includes townhouses, a medical office, traumatic brain injury care living units, and commercial space. The project would also feature walking trails and a controversial public pool complex.
The pools have drawn a lawsuit and criticism from some residents, who argue that the plan, which would also replace the existing Conklin Pool, moved too quickly, lacked transparency, and evaded public bidding rules.
The president of the township’s board of commissioners has acknowledged that the contract with the private developer gives Cheltenham less input on the pool design, and officials have said they cannot answer some questions about the deal due to the lawsuit.
But the agenda for the township planning committee’s forthcoming meeting includes extensive attachments about the Melrose project, including a February fiscal analysis estimating that the project would net about $1.8 million per year for the township and about $5.9 million annually for the Cheltenham School District.
The Montgomery County Planning Commission reviewed the latest version of the plan in a letter Thursday to the township that notes about 443 homes and recommends several changes to the developer’s proposal.
What’s in new Melrose redevelopment plan
The plan that county officials received Aug. 6 has more townhomes and eliminates apartments, according to the planning commission’s letter, adding about 33 homes.
There are 351 townhomes and 12 twins in the new plan. Some of the townhouses will be age-restricted. A 2024 version of the plan had included only 306 townhouses, 24 age-restricted apartments, and no twins, Thursday’s letter notes.
The Melrose plan also includes 80 assisted living apartments, 30 traumatic brain injury care living units, two retail spaces, and three public pools. It’s unclear whether the TBI units would be long-term residences.
The single-family homes along with the assisted living apartments total about 443 residences.
Montco recommends changes to Melrose plan
County planners recommended changes to the Melrose plan and criticized the removal of apartments and some commercial space.
The township and the developer did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the county’s recommendations or the plan changes.
“We are sorry to see the loss of the previously proposed small apartment building on this site. Housing variety benefits communities by providing more options for price points, size, and configuration of dwelling units,” the planners wrote, and the reduction in retail space “conflicts” with Cheltenham’s goal of boosting its commercial tax base.
“A stronger commercial area would make the proposal an even better fit with the future land use vision from Cheltenham’s new comprehensive plan,” planners wrote.
Carl Freedman, who sits on Cheltenham’s planning commission, has previously criticized the loss of commercial space in newer Melrose plans for similar reasons.
The county review also addresses pool parking in more detail than in its fall 2025 review, noting that a public pool might require more parking and recommending an analysis of parking at Conklin Pool to inform needs at Melrose.
The county also recommended adding more trees around the public pools to cool and shade the area, which will be mostly paved, and revising the stormwater plan behind a set of townhouses to prevent flooding.
Planners praised the developer’s inclusion of a path along Ashbourne Road and a circuit trail along Tookany Creek, which could connect to a longer trail network underway in the Philadelphia area.
The chair of Cheltenham’s transportation committee said Wednesday he believes the project’s walkability aligns with the town’s goal to build a more connected community.
Inquirer Greater Abington
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