Residents unanimously voted to approve Original’s request to remodel the restaurant, adding a banquet room to the rear.
The East Torresdale Civic Association last week held a meeting, unanimously approving a zoning request for Original’s, 9436 State Road, delaying the ongoing discussion with Maggie’s Waterfront Cafe and getting updates from multiple different elected officials’ offices.
Original’s requested a change to build an expansion in the rear, adding a banquet room to add about 100 to 120 seats. The company hopes to add a full breakfast, lunch and dinner menu.
The Original’s location in Huntingdon Valley will be closing, leading to the change in plans for the one on State Road.
“I’m going to remodel the whole restaurant,” said John Graff, owner of Original’s. He stated that he bought the whole shopping center last year and has made some changes to the center already.
After a couple of questions back and forth about the proposed changes, the civic association voted 36–0 to approve of the request.
A couple of hours before the meeting, the association received an email from Shawn Ward, the lawyer for Maggie’s, requesting that their conversation on the proposals for the restaurant be postponed to the following meeting.
The next meeting will be June 11 at 7 p.m. at Liberty Free Evangelical Church, 5125 Linden Ave.
Proposed zoning changes for the Morrissey lots at Frankford and Linden avenues are expected to be presented at the meeting. ••
