This opinion piece was originally published in Weavers Way Co-Op’s The Shuttle. Michael Frost writes about local politics and culture for the freshly-minted online blog Ambler Jawn. He can be reached at AmblerJawn@amblerritasgmail-com.

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Ambler’s where it’s at. But you knew that already.

That’s why you moved here. That’s why you moved back here. That’s why you never left. And if you reside elsewhere but shop at the Co-op and patronize our theaters, restaurants, coffee shops, breweries and other establishments, you know that, too.

Why did you choose to live here —or start seeing Ambler on the sly? I’d guess it’s got something to do with the local businesses, that small-town feel, its historic architecture and expanse of open green space. So let’s keep it that way. Let’s preserve our history, protect our environment and prevent overdevelopment. And let’s be proactive about it.

To see what could happen if we don’t, you only need to look across Bethlehem Pike to the Mattison Estate in Upper Dublin, where a historic site with an extensive wooded area and animal habitat was eviscerated to make way for high-end development. If you are unfamiliar with how all-encompassing the destruction was, a trip down Google Maps Lane will provide a visual reminder.

You would think Ambler would have codes and/or regulations in place to prevent such carnage from happening on this side of the Pike. But we don’t. And despite talking about preserving our historic assets for decades, earmarking 25 specific sites for presentation 15 years ago, and finally taking baby steps in that direction this fall, we still don’t. That needs to change.

From Asbestos Capital to Hot Ticket

Ambler’s history hasn’t always been pretty, as its former nickname of “Asbestos Capital of the World” can attest. Many of the buildings from that era remain and live to tell the story.

The sphere of power and influence emanated from the facade of Lindenwold Castle, which was gilded to look like Windsor and now the last man standing at Mattison Estate. It can be seen in the trail of Gothic architecture, 400 homes in all, that Richard V. Mattison, the asbestos king, built for his employees with the help of Italian stonemasons. Many of those homes are still standing.

Since its nadir in the early 1980s, around the time that lawsuits ran the last asbestos company out of town, the revitalization of Ambler has continued slowly and steadily. The “White Mountains” of refuse from the company and other contaminated areas were capped, covered and closed off.

Citizens led the way in preventing high rises from being built atop them. The borough managed to avoid the widespread demolition and overdevelopment that have plagued many surrounding towns.

Now everyone wants in, and we have reached the tipping point. Properties at the base of Butler Avenue that house the Pizza Box and several other local businesses are due to be razed to make way for a new mixed-use development. On the other side of the tracks, past the Boiler House and the end of Maple Avenue, a multistory development is rising from the shadow of the former White Mountains. And Montgomery County is pushing for denser housing in the downtown area around the SEPTA station.

Can we trust our borough council to navigate these waters? Hard to say; they’ve been the stewards of the recent uptick in development. I think they mean well, but community involvement is needed to encourage them to ask the right questions and even to say “No” occasionally.

Keeping Borough History Intact

So how do we best continue Ambler’s fine tradition of community involvement? And how do we get our council to do what is right?

The 2006 Ambler Open Space Plan and its 2019 update identified several historic sites, including the Mary Ambler house, the oldest house in town. Despite its obvious importance to Ambler’s history, the only thing that stands between the house and the wrecking ball is a $50 permit. Another property identified by the plan is the former Wyndham Hotel in the center of Butler Avenue, whose owner deserves credit for restoring and repairing the building several years ago despite the lack of any regulations or incentives compelling him to do so.

Step One could be to protect the buildings marked for preservation 15 years ago, which included the train station, the Ambler Theater and Deck’s Hardware Store. If the wrecking ball is held back on these buildings, it would prevent the kind of devastation we have seen in neighboring townships. This measure should be easy to implement, and the planning commission is currently working on doing that.

Along with identifying 24 specific properties, the 2006 plan also highlighted the Ambler Borough Commercial Historic District, designated as 1-12 West Butler Avenue and 1-170 East Butler (currently La Provence to NAPA Auto Parts). That area would likely be the main part of any initiative going forward.

The next steps depend on us — the community. If done right, it is possible to promote historical and ecological preservation while respecting property rights, thus helping raise their values. This process should involve residential and commercial property owners and aim for consensus. The pendulum is broad and could range from merely regulating the destruction of existing buildings and the construction of new ones to maintaining the overall “character” of specific districts. It could even require property owners to preserve specific features or use certain materials in order to do so. But anything is better than what we have now, which is nothing.

Taking a Page from Other Towns

For the naysayers who say this can’t be done, neighboring towns have done it. Just hang a left on Sumneytown Pike, where North Wales established a historic district in 2000 that includes a historic architecture review board. Other nearby towns with historic districts include West Chester and
Newtown, while Narberth is well into the process of establishing its own.

Yes, I’m saying we should hold back (or at least slow down) the wrecking ball where we can. Let’s limit the scope and scale of major development, and make sure it’s adapted specifically for Ambler. Only approved chainsaw gangs are allowed!

How, exactly, can you help?

● Attend Planning Commission meetings on the second Tuesday of every month at 7:00 p.m. There is one scheduled for December 28th (agenda) and the board is seeking input on exploring “ways to preserve Ambler’s historic resources.” These meetings are not accessible online.
● Attend Borough Council meetings on the third Tuesday of every month at 7:000 p.m. While going in-person provides the most visibility (a/k/a “pressure”), if kids/jobs/life prevent you from doing that, at least watch online to keep abreast of the latest happenings.
● Get acquainted with the Ambler Environmental Action Committee. Take advantage of their shade-tree program, (which was started to offset the devastating deforestation at the Mattison Estate), rain garden and/or rain barrel programs, etc.
● E-mail the President of Council and/or the council members for your respective ward.
● Join a growing number of concerned citizens in an expanding, still-congealing working group. Email me at the address below for the latest details.

Am I saying that the status quo is no longer tolerable? You bet your sweet asbestos I am.