{"id":1165,"date":"2025-10-15T08:12:09","date_gmt":"2025-10-15T08:12:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/1165\/"},"modified":"2025-10-15T08:12:09","modified_gmt":"2025-10-15T08:12:09","slug":"ardmores-schauffele-plaza-gets-upgraded-with-new-mural","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/1165\/","title":{"rendered":"Ardmore’s Schauffele Plaza gets upgraded with new mural"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hi, Lower Merion<\/a>! \ud83d\udc4b<\/p>\n

The once drab Schauffele Plaza in Ardmore<\/a> has gotten a colorful makeover, an example of \u201ctactical urbanism\u201d that the project\u2019s organizers hope can be replicated elsewhere. Also this week, popular Malvern cafe The Buttery is opening an outpost<\/a> in Ardmore, a new true-crime docuseries<\/a> from a Bryn Mawr filmmaker about Ellen Greenberg\u2019s death is now streaming, and we take a first look inside Eataly<\/a>. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s been a few months since we first launched this newsletter, and we want to hear from you. How are we doing? Tell us by taking our survey<\/a> or emailing us at lowermerion@inquirer.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Ardmore\u2019s once uninspired Schauffele Plaza has undergone a transformation, one aimed at creating an inviting space for the community to gather. <\/p>\n

Where once there was just concrete, a few benches, and a bus stop, there\u2019s now a sidewalk mural inspired by migratory birds, tables, and native plants, all of which will officially be unveiled on Saturday. <\/p>\n

The Inquirer\u2019s Denali Sagner sat down with some of those behind the project to learn how this transformation is a trial run for improving other public spaces<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\ud83d\udca1 Community News<\/p>\n

The three men behind the December 2024 Lower Merion home invasion that left one man dead and his mother paralyzed were sentenced last week to life in prison. In handing down the sentences, Judge Risa Vetri Ferman described their actions as \u201cpure, pure evil.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

Prosecutors recently revealed in court documents how a theft ring used remote cell phone cameras, illegal Wi-Fi jammers, and phony food deliveries to target 13 homes in Lower Merion, Abington, West Goshen, and other areas last year. They netted more than $300,000 in stolen cash, jewelry, and luxury items<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Heads up for drivers: Yesterday, PennDot began a roughly 20-month-long bridge repair project<\/a> that will see traffic on City Avenue between Bryn Mawr Avenue and 47th Street reduced to one lane each way. Businesses in the area will still be accessible while the concrete arch bridge undergoes a $22.4 million overhaul. <\/p>\n

Bryn Mawr-raised filmmaker Nancy Schwartzman released her true-crime docuseries about the 2011 death of 27-year-old Philadelphia schoolteacher Ellen Greenberg, who was found dead in her apartment from multiple stab wounds. The three-episode Death in Apartment 603: What Happened to Ellen Greenberg? is now streaming<\/a>. The series features Inquirer columnist Stephanie Farr, whose 2019 article reignited interest in the case<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Ever wonder how far $1,900 in rent can get you across the region? The Inquirer\u2019s Michaelle Bond breaks down what you can expect in Bala Cynwyd and elsewhere<\/a>. <\/p>\n

A GOP-affiliated PAC backed by billionaire Jeffrey Yass, co-founder of Bala Cynwyd\u2019s Susquehanna International Group, is sending Pennsylvania voters a mailer warning that members of the state Supreme Court \u201cgerrymandered our congressional districts to help Democrats win.\u201d However, the map was drawn by legislative Republicans and thrown out by the justices<\/a>. <\/p>\n

At its Sept. 17 meeting, Lower Merion Commissioners<\/a> awarded a nearly $90,000 contract to plant 200 trees throughout the township. The finance committee also recommended approving a pilot program for curbside organic food waste composting for about 250 households in Bala Cynwyd. <\/p>\n

Ardmore native and The Office star Kate Flannery was inducted<\/a> into the Archbishop John Carroll High School Hall of Fame over the weekend along with actress Maria Bello, former University of Notre Dame basketball point guard and current University of Delaware men\u2019s basketball coach Martin Ingelsby, and the 2000 Philadelphia Catholic League Championship football team. (CBS News<\/a>)\u00a0 <\/p>\n

The township is hosting its fall cleanup this weekend at the Koegel Complex in Penn Valley. On Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., residents can drop off small household appliances, fabrics, dried latex paint, and other items. See details here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Kaiserman JCC is hosting a blood drive on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sign up to donate here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfeb Schools Briefing<\/p>\n

Schools are closed today. Tomorrow, LMHS seniors will be measured for their caps and gowns, and Saturday is Harriton\u2019s homecoming dance. See the district\u2019s full calendar here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

LMSD ranks as the sixth best district in Pennsylvania, according to Niche\u2019s 2026 Best School Districts list<\/a>, released this week. The data firm ranked the top 217 districts in the commonwealth, taking into account reviews from students and parents using data from the U.S. Department of Education, state test scores, college readiness, graduation rates, teacher quality, and public school district ratings. SAT and ACT scores were excluded this year.<\/p>\n

Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy in Bryn Mawr received a $10 million gift from the Barrack Family Foundation, the largest single donor gift in its history. The school used the funds to help acquire the Jewish Federation of Philadelphia\u2019s Schwartz campus, also in Bryn Mawr. (Philadelphia Business Journal<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udf7d\ufe0f On our Plate<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfb3 Things to Do<\/p>\n

\ud83d\uddd3\ufe0f First Friday<\/a>: Shop from a range of vendors, score special deals, listen to live music, and more during this month\u2019s event. \u23f0 Friday, Oct. 3, 5-7 p.m. \ud83d\udcb5 Pay as you go \ud83d\udccd Schauffele Plaza<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udf42 Shiverfest<\/a>: This family-friendly fall festival includes pony rides, a petting zoo, a bubble show, a bounce house, face painting, live music, and fall arts and crafts. \u23f0 Saturday, Oct. 4, 3-8 p.m. \ud83d\udcb5 $32.78-$39.19 \ud83d\udccd Riverbend Environmental Education Center<\/p>\n

\u26f8\ufe0f 2nd Annual Fundraising Gala<\/a>: The Philadelphia Skating Club and Humane Society is hosting its second annual fundraiser and skating exhibition which will be hosted by Olympians Paul Wylie and Nancy Kerrigan, as well as 6abc\u2019s Katherine Scott. \u23f0 Saturday, Oct. 4, 5-9:30 p.m. \ud83d\udcb5 $35-$75 \ud83d\udccd Philadelphia Skating Club and Humane Society<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfc3 Thrill on the Hill<\/a>: Hit the pavement around Hill Top Prep\u2019s campus for this 5K benefiting the school for neurodiverse students. There\u2019s also a 1.5-mile fun run option. \u23f0 Saturday, Oct. 4, 9 a.m. \ud83d\udcb5 $30 \ud83d\udccd Hill Top Prep <\/p>\n

\ud83d\udecd\ufe0f Clover Market<\/a>: Browse and shop from over 90 curated vendors as the roving market returns to Bryn Mawr. There will also be music, kids\u2019 crafts, and food trucks. \u23f0 Sunday, Oct. 5, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. \ud83d\udcb5 Pay as you go \ud83d\udccd Intersection of North Bryn Mawr and Lancaster Avenues<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udf6c Mommy and Me Edible Art Morning<\/a>: Moms with kids ages 3 to 5 can bond over making edible art, including turtles made of fruit. \u23f0 Thursday, Oct. 9, 10-11:30 a.m. \ud83d\udcb5 $26.50 \ud83d\udccd The Candy Lab<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfe1 On the Market<\/p>\n

A century-old Villanova estate with a pool, sport court, sauna, and wine cellar<\/a> <\/p>\n

Built in 1925, this 100-year-old brick Villanova estate sits on 1.6 acres, grounds that house a pool, a pool house, and a sport court. The sprawling home\u2019s first floor features a foyer, formal living and dining rooms, a sunroom with black-and-white tiled floors, a butler\u2019s pantry, a mudroom, and a sitting room. The kitchen has an island, granite countertops, high-end appliances, and a built-in banquette. A number of French doors lead to the back terrace overlooking the grounds. Upstairs, the primary suite has its own wing, complete with a marble fireplace, a dressing room, and an ensuite bathroom. It also has access to a second bathroom with a sauna that opens onto a room currently used as an office. There are additional bedrooms, bathrooms, a laundry room, a family room, and a sitting room on the second floor, which could be configured to make five or six bedrooms. The home also has a wine cellar downstairs. <\/p>\n

See more photos of the property here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Price: $2.775M | Size: 9,275 SF | Acreage: 1.6<\/p>\n

Have you seen an interesting listing in or around Lower Merion? Share it with us in an email to lowermerion@inquirer.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\uddde\ufe0f What other Lower Merion residents are reading this week:<\/p>\n

By submitting your written, visual, and\/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer\u2019s Terms of Use<\/a>, including the grant of rights in Section 10.<\/p>\n

This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer\u2019s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com\/donate<\/a>. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org\/supporters<\/a>.<\/p>\n