As you’re probably aware, we scour the zoning applications every week to find new and exciting development news to pass along to you good people. We see all kinds of requests for variances, but rarely do we see an application like that for 1103 S. 31st St., a request to create an Adult Cabaret in an existing Auto Body & Fender Shop. Our first task in finding out more about this application was to actually locate this address. If you have a poor sense of direction like we do, you’ll agree that the diagonal-then-horizontal nature of Grays Ferry Ave. sometimes makes it a little tough to find what you’re looking for in that neck of the woods. And that is why God made maps.

Thanks, Google!

The address is question in on the eastern side of 31st St., just north of Grays Ferry Ave. It’s just west of the Pathmark Shopping Center and sits in a very isolated location, with I76 to the west, and train tracks and the river to the north.

It's just to the west...

Looking north up 31st St. I76 in the background

The place itself, rather secluded, except...

Is that the rear of the auto shop building?

This application has been on the ZBA’s schedule several times over the course of this year, but has not yet had a hearing. According to someone we spoke with at the ZBA, the application is currently on hold, though they do expect it will eventually be heard. We don’t think that anyone would argue that this sort of thing would be beneficial for a neighborhood, especially located so close to a supermarket. One hopes that its remote location, off the beaten path of foot traffic, won’t prevent the local community from finding out about it until it’s too late to mount a response.

We imagine we’ll come back to this proposal at some point in the future. In the meantime, we suggest you check out the Zoning Code’s section on Regulated Uses. It’s helpful, in case you ever wondered how the city defines an adult cabaret, a drug paraphernalia store, a pawn shop, or an adult spa.