Inside the Rosemont-Villanova merger | Inquirer Lower Merion
Plus, why Lower Merion’s school board president was kicked off the primary ballot.
Hi, Lower Merion! 👋
This week, we take a look inside the Rosemont College-Villanova University merger, bring you details on why Lower Merion’s school board president was kicked off the primary ballot, and tell you about a Bala Cynwyd cheesesteak shop that’s soon to be history.
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Rosemont College will merge into neighboring Villanova University, beginning in 2027 and becoming final in 2028, officials from the Catholic schools said earlier this week.
While many were aware of the school’s financial struggles, it’s still a decision that came as a shock to the Rosemont community. And though emotional, the unusually long runway is “the most ethical way to treat students and employees,” one higher ed expert told Inquirer reporter Susan Snyder.
Villanova has not shared its plans for the Rosemont campus, other than to say it will continue its academic and residential uses. Public access to the campus, which hosts events like art exhibitions, blood drives, and movie nights, will not change until June 30, 2027, the school told The Inquirer’s Lisa Dukart. It also hosts weddings and other events, which are not expected to be impacted in the immediate future. The school said it will continue booking weddings.
You can read more about the merger, and its impact on the community, here.
Kerry Sautner, the president of the Lower Merion school board, was kicked off May’s Democratic primary ballot by a Montgomery County judge this week.
The move comes after a community member challenged her failure to answer mandatory questions on her nomination petition, including whether she had received any gifts valued at more than $250, had any office, directorship, or employment in any business, or had financial interests in any legal entity in business for profit.
Sautner, who has appealed the decision, told Inquirer reporter Maddie Hanna that she’s “fully transparent” and “doing everything in good faith with the courts.”
You can read more about the decision here.
💡 Community News
Philly judicial candidate Mike Huff was kicked off the May primary ballot over a residency challenge. He says he’s lived in Mount Airy since May 2024, but his wife still lives in Lower Merion, raising a thorny question: What makes a home?
It’s official: Ardmore Pool will be closed this summer to accommodate construction of the new Ardmore Avenue Community Center following a unanimous vote from township commissioners. Here’s more on the construction and expected reopening timeline.
Villanova has hired Maryland’s Kevin Willard as its next coach, just two weeks after the university fired Kyle Neptune. Here are five things to know about Willard.
Philly-area Tesla owners are keeping their cars despite disagreeing with Elon Musk’s politics. Some, like Bryn Mawr couple Jennifer Tran and Eric Griffin, are making their feelings known through anti-Musk bumper stickers.
Forbes is out with its annual list of the world’s billionaires, which includes newcomer Mitchell Morgan, of Bryn Mawr. Jeff Yass, cofounder of Bala Cynwyd-based trading firm Susquehanna International Group and Pennsylvania’s richest man, is also on the list.
Narberth has a new assistant borough manager in Emily Pisano, the former assistant township manager in Chadds Ford. (Main Line Times & Suburban)
The township is holding a spring clean-up this weekend (also on April 26 and 27) where residents can get rid of trash, recyclables, small appliances, and more from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Robert J. Koegel Public Works Complex. Find out more details, including what you can and can’t bring, here.
There’s also a document-shredding event this Sunday from 10 a.m. to noon at the Har Zion Temple.
🏫 Schools Briefing
Some Philly-area schools are sticking with their DEI initiatives, despite President Trump’s orders. And while the Lower Merion School District hasn’t specifically addressed whether it has made any changes to its programs, officials reiterated a pledge to “continue our work to ensure that all students and staff feel a sense of safety and belonging in our schools.”
Is your child planning on skipping the bus next school year? The district is asking parents to let them know by the end of June.
🍽️ On our Plate
Mama’s Pizzeria, a Bala Cynwyd mainstay since 1960, will soon be history. Its second-generation grillman plans to hang up the spatula once his son gets his accounting license from St. Joe’s next year.
Win and Sutida Somboonsong opened Thai Pepper in Ardmore three decades ago. They’ve turned over their business to their kids Pearl and Paul, who have since opened Mama-San across from Radnor High School in February, and now, Maison Lotus in Wayne.
🎳 Things to Do
🎥 Intro to Avant-Garde Cinema: Postwar America: A seminar with Jesse Pires of the Lightbox Film Center. ⏰ Thursday, April 3, 6:30 p.m. 💵 $25 for members, $35 for non-members📍Bryn Mawr Film Institute
🎤 Red NOT Chili Peppers: Calling all fans of the RHCP for this tribute show. ⏰ Thursday, April 3, 8 p.m. 💵 $16📍Ardmore Music Hall
🎹 First Friday Organ Concert: Spend an afternoon listening to Stoneleigh’s Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ. ⏰ Friday, April 4, noon-1 p.m. 💵 $10📍Stoneleigh: a natural garden
🎤 The Amish Outlaws: With Whiskeyhickon Boys and the FunkWagon Deluxe. ⏰ Friday, April 4, 8 p.m. 💵 $20📍Ardmore Music Hall
🎥 National Theatre Live: The Importance of Being Earnest: The Oscar Wilde classic, reimagined. ⏰ Saturday, April 5, 1 p.m. 💵 $21.75📍Bryn Mawr Film Institute
🎤 Pink Pony Party for Kids ft. Miss Cantaloupe & Friends: A Sunday afternoon concert for the kids. ⏰ Sunday, April 6, 11:45 a.m. 💵 $15📍Ardmore Music Hall
🏡 On the Market
This four-bedroom, three-and-a-half bathroom home in Penn Valley features a wood-burning fireplace, eat-in kitchen, and vaulted ceilings. Perhaps most notably, its unique open floor plan provides a second-story view of the living room below.
Have you seen an interesting listing in or around Lower Merion? Share it with us in an email to lowermerion@inquirer.com.
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