A change to the boundary of the Centre Park Historic District will remove a vacant lot on Thorn Street from the district, clearing the way for its use as a parking lot.
City Council recently passed the measure 6-1 with Council President Donna Reed voting no.
Council’s decision advances development of the property behind 730 N. Third St. as a parking lot for the Platinum Bar, 220 Douglass St.
Officials said the change is one of several conditions tied to a land development plan previously approved by the city’s planning commission.
During a lengthy discussion at an earlier committee of the whole meeting, Reed said removing part of the property from the historic district would set a troubling precedent.
“I think we’re opening a can of worms,” she said.
The vacant lot, also identified as 743 Thorn St., should first be legally separated from the North Third Street property, Reed said, noting that would reduce the risk of future legal challenges.
Councilman O. Christopher Miller echoed those concerns.
“It’s not the issue about the parking,” Miller said. “It’s the fact that you’re taking one property in a historic district and saying that part of it can be in the historic district and part of it can be out.”
Recognizing the portion along Thorn Street as a separate parcel rather than the rear of the North Third Street property would preserve the integrity of the historic district while still allowing the business to use the lot, he said.
Reed recommended deferring a decision to allow further evaluation. However, Councilman Jaime Baez Jr. and others objected, noting the owner had followed the city’s approval process and invested significant money to solve neighborhood parking concerns.
“I don’t think that we should table this,” Baez said. “The business owner isn’t asking anything of us. They’re investing and they’re finding a solution to a challenge that neighbors mentioned — that they don’t have enough parking — by providing parking to their patrons.”
The discussion shifted after council solicitor Michael Gombar reviewed county property records and found the parking lot already had its own parcel number and Thorn Street address.
Miller said the clarification addressed his reservations about splitting a single property between two regulatory categories.
Councilman Raymond Baker said he also shared concerns about preserving historic districts but concluded the vacant parcel was well suited for parking.
A city official said the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission must certify historic district boundary changes that add properties to a district, but state certification is not required to remove a property.
Before the vote, Platinum Bar owner Raul Tolentino urged council to approve the ordinance.
Speaking through Baez as an interpreter, Tolentino said he spent two years and significant money to create an off-street parking lot that will ease neighborhood parking problems.
He also questioned why the city would continue to place obstacles in the project’s path.
The parking lot has been controversial for years.
Neighbors have argued that additional off-street parking would intensify the bar’s use by bringing more traffic, noise and activity into the residential neighborhood.
The zoning hearing board rejected a similar proposal in 2023 after finding it could adversely affect neighboring properties and traffic on Thorn Street. The owners returned with a redesigned 18-space plan in 2025, which the board approved with conditions.
Before construction can begin, the owner must still satisfy planning commission conditions and obtain council approval to remove on-street parking on Thorn Street for driveway access.