Read More About the SugarLoaf Groundbreaking Ceremony!
In 2006, Chestnut Hill College (CHC) purchased the 32-acre SugarLoaf property adjacent to campus. The College worked closely with the community to ensure SugarLoaf would retain its character in one of the most beautiful and vibrant areas of the city, and this is reflected in the College’s 2008 Master Plan.
Over the last decade, the SugarLoaf campus has become a fully integrated and vital component of the College’s strategic vision for the future, with the property demonstrating significant potential to benefit both our own students and the broader communities we serve.
However, even when Chestnut Hill College purchased the SugarLoaf property in 2006, we recognized the site’s access limitations. It was clear from the start that improvements were needed to ensure the College’s future use of this exceptional campus addition while also promoting safe travel to and from the site, primarily along the Germantown Avenue corridor.
To mitigate these issues, the College is excited to break ground on a new entrance project that will create a safer, more welcoming entryway to Chestnut Hill College’s SugarLoaf campus, while offering improved traffic flow and a beautifully enhanced gateway to the Chestnut Hill community.
In addition, the project includes a beautiful, scenic trail way that will improve pedestrian and cyclist access to the campus, Fairmount Park, Forbidden Drive, the Morris Arboretum, Woodmere Art Museum, and the Chestnut Hill Business District. The project will incorporate a range of traffic calming and other safety features to enhance pedestrian safety, including a newly redesigned traffic intersection at Hillcrest Avenue. And no less important, the project will improve stormwater management and include strategic landscaping and drainage to reduce soil erosion in the area, reinforcing the College’s mission-driven commitment to a sustainable Earth.
These improvements at SugarLoaf come at a pivotal moment in our history, and are poised to represent a truly transformational change for Chestnut Hill College.
Entryway Project Background
With a commitment to maintaining greenspace and improving pedestrian access, CHC completed an extensive design and planning process that would incorporate the SugarLoaf campus into the Chestnut Hill College Master Plan. The Master Plan was then approved by the City of Philadelphia in 2010.
The College has worked closely with local elected officials, community organizations, and businesses to ensure that the project benefits the broader Chestnut Hill community. In this regard, the College acknowledges the outstanding leadership of State Senator Art Haywood and State Representative Chris Rabb in securing vital state funding for the upcoming roadway improvements.
Additionally, CHC collaborated with Morris Arboretum and the Wissahickon Valley Watershed to preserve and enhance the natural landscape throughout the entryway and the new walking trail.
This important project will allow the College to fully realize the potential of the SugarLoaf campus, while improving traffic safety and pedestrian access along Germantown Avenue.
JUNE 29 SUGARLOAF ENTRYWAY UPDATE - VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING
MAY 24 SUGARLOAF ENTRYWAY UPDATE – VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING
April 11 SugarLoaf Entryway Update - Virtual Community Meeting
FINAL LANDSCAPE PLAN (MAY 2022)
Morris Arboretum Review of SugarLoaf Landscaping Plan (February 2022)
Sample Native Plantings
ROADWORK REALIGNMENT SKETCH
Phase 1A Archaeological Survey (March 2022)
Final Report (PDF)
Rockwell Associates Tree Assessment (February 2022)
CHC Tree Map (PDF)
CHC Tree Protection Detail (PDF)
CHC Trail Summary Report (PDF)
CHC Tree Assessment Matrix Report for Trail (PDF)
SugarLoaf Master Plan and SPIN Zoning Ordinance
SugarLoaf Master Plan (PDF)
SPIN Zoning Ordinance (PDF)
Transportation Impact Study for Proposed SugarLoaf Campus Access: January 2021 (PDF)
Transportation Impact Study for Proposed SugarLoaf Campus Access: March 2020 (PDF)
Trailway Lighting Plan and Illumination Levels
Overall Lighting Plan (PDF)