The developer behind a contested plan to demolish 118 North in downtown Wayne says he will revise the proposal after months of public pushback.

Joseph Smogard told Patch on Wednesday, Oct. 14, that he is reworking the project. He will appear before the Radnor Zoning Board to request a one-year extension on a prior parking approval tied to the development.

"We are working on revisions to the project that should, hopefully, significantly improve public reception to the project," Smogard said via email, according to Patch. He said he has listened to public comments and feedback from the Board of Commissioners and is working on a revised plan.

The specifics of those revisions have not been disclosed.

What's proposed

Smogard, a real estate investor who bought the North Wayne Avenue property in 2024, wants to tear down the one-story commercial duplex that houses 118 North and a vacant former dry-cleaning space. In its place, he has proposed a three-story mixed-use building with a restaurant and retail on the first floor, office space on the second and four apartments with rooftop decks on the third, Patch first reported in April.

The plan calls for 118 North to return to the rebuilt ground floor. But the bar, a live-music venue owned by Ken Kearns, has not agreed to do so, Patch reported in June.

Kearns also serves as president of the Wayne Business Association (WBA). He has not publicly commented on the proposal. Kearns declined to comment to Patch in June.

Community response

At a Radnor Township Board of Commissioners meeting in June, residents and business leaders raised concerns about changes to downtown Wayne's character, worsened parking and disruption along the North Wayne Avenue commercial corridor, according to Patch.

Days before that meeting, the WBA released a statement calling the proposal a source of "significant concerns" about short-term disruptions to shopping, dining and parking and long-term changes to the street.

Wayne resident Connie Congleton presented a petition against the project that had collected 831 signatures on Change.org as of June, Patch reported.

Smogard has said he loses about $8,000 a month on the property since the neighboring dry cleaner, Omega Cleaners, closed. He has argued that adding apartments and renovating the vacant space would generate enough revenue to keep 118 North's rent below market rate, according to Patch.

Where the approvals stand

The Radnor Planning Commission granted preliminary approval in May but withheld final approval, giving the developer time to refine the plan. The Board of Commissioners, which makes the final decision on development projects, held a discussion in June but took no formal vote.

The Zoning Board previously approved four rear parking spaces for future apartment tenants. That approval carries a deadline, and Smogard is asking for a one-year extension that would push it to December 2027.

The Zoning Board meeting is set for 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15.