Narberth Coffee-Shop Plan Advances

Sitting Monday night in the Narberth Community Center room that might eventually give rise to , borough council members unanimously approved a design contract to move the concept one step closer to reality.

Borough resident and Plan Commission member David Brawer will produce architectural sketches of a deck off the west wing, earning about $7,400, or roughly a tenth of what Councilwoman Heidi Boise estimated the entire deck project could cost.

The plan to renovate the west wing in a way that makes it easy to start a coffee shop there comes in the early stages of a borough-wide rezoning and after years of petitions from residents eager to see a coffee shop downtown.

Solicitor Marc Jonas said Brawer can and should simply recuse himself from any Plan Commission action on his drawings. Councilman Bob Weisbord endorsed Brawer's experience with the community center's , saying, "He seems like naturally the right person to be designing the terrace."

What do you think of the prospect of a coffee shop next to the Narberth library? Tell us in the comments, and cast your vote in the poll.