Ardmore, Pennsylvania

Lancaster Ave/US-30, which runs through downtown Ardmore.

The Ardmore West Shopping Center

Montgomery Ave, which runs parallel to Lancaster Ave, is mostly residential in nature.

Ardmore is a census-designated place (CDP) in Delaware and Montgomery counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The community of Ardmore is a suburb in the west side of Philadelphia, primarily within Lower Merion Township in Montgomery County; a smaller portion of the community is the area of Ardmore Park in adjacent Haverford Township in Delaware County. The population was 12,616 at the 2000 census. Originally named Athensville in 1853, the community was renamed Ardmore in 1873 by the Pennsylvania Railroad on which it is a station (MP 8.5) on the Main Line.[1]

Eminent Domain Controversy

Since 2004, Ardmore's business district has been the subject of a hotly contested eminent domain battle. A grassroots organization, the Save Ardmore Coalition, along with local businesses and other civic groups , opposed an eminent domain/redevelopment program that would likely have involved the demolition of certain historic buildings, and favored preserving those buildings for other commercial use. In March 2006 the Lower Merion Township Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution disavowing the use of eminent domain for the benefit of private redevelopment projects. The Ardmore battle was also instrumental in prompting the Pennsylvania General Assembly to enact legislation in 2006 *restricting the use of eminent domain for private projects.

Geography

Ardmore is located at 40°00′24″N 75°17′07″W (40.001411, -75.295180)Template:GR.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km²). Ardmore is adjacent to Wynnewood and Haverford. Residents from South Ardmore and Wynnewood cooperate as the ArdWood Civic Association. The North Ardmore Civic Association represents residents of North Ardmore and Wynnewood north of Montgomery Avenue.

Ardmore's train station is served by SEPTA and Amtrak passenger trains.

Residents and visitors enjoy several parks including South Ardmore Park, which is partly in Ardmore and partly in Wynnewood. Suburban Square, the second oldest shopping mall in the U.S., is located adjacent to the Ardmore train station.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1990	12,646		—
2000	12,616		−0.2%
www.dvrpc.org/data/databull/rdb/db82/appedixa.xls.</ref>

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 12,616 people, 5,529 households, and 3,129 families residing in Ardmore. The population density was 6,588.5 people per square mile (2,550.3/km²). There were 5,711 housing units at an average density of 2,982.5/sq mi (1,154.5/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 83.51% White, 11.47% African American, 0.12% Native American, 2.58% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 0.59% from other races, and 1.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.05% of the population.

There were 5,529 households out of which 23.9% included children under the age of 18, 43.0% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.4% were non-families. 34.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 20.3% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 32.1% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 86.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.9 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $60,966, and the median income for a family was $75,828. Males had a median income of $46,920 versus $40,802 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $36,111. About 2.4% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.1% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.

CRIME

There is Gangs in Ardmore, The Hood st Bloods, And Spring Ave Shotgun Boyz. There Is About 2,000 Thefts, and a Low Murder Rate About 4 a year, but high DRUG activity.

Education

Pupils living in the Lower Merion Township portion attend schools in the Lower Merion School District, while pupils living in the Haverford Township portion attend schools in the School District of Haverford Township.

Among the many notable graduates of Lower Merion High School in Ardmore are General Henry H. "Hap" Arnold (1903), Commanding General of the U.S. Army Air Forces in WWII; General Alexander M. Haig, Jr. (1942), the 59th United States Secretary of State; James H. Billington (1946), the Librarian of Congress, and; Kobe B. Bryant (1996), a professional NBA basketball player.

Notable residents

• Owen Jones, born in Ardmore; United States Congressman from Pennsylvania

• A. Atwater Kent - prominent early radio manufacturer

• John Christmas, Professional Lacrosse player with the Philadelphia Wings and the Boston Cannons

• J. Howard Pew, son of Joseph Newton Pew, the founder of Sun Oil Company. His estate, "Knollbrook," was at Grays Lane and Mill Creek Road (partially in Haverford).

• Richie Ashburn, outfielder and broadcaster for the Philadelphia Phillies.

References

Why the fuss about this block?, SaveArdmoreCoalition.org

A Century of Service For Naught?, PhillyFuture

[http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet

Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who. 1963.

External links

• Ardmore Initiative - The Ardmore Initiative is a business district authority responsible for physical and economic development in Ardmore.
• Save Ardmore Coalition - A 501(c)4 civic group which played a role in the Eminent Domain controversy.
• The South Ardmore Betterment Alliance - A civic group which focuses on southern Ardmore
• First Friday - A 501(c)3 non-profit to bring art to the Main Line and revitalize the communities of Ardmore, Haverford, and Bryn Mawr.
• 2006 Pennsylvania anti-eminent domain abuse statute