Results of the survey on preferred use of the property at 450 Colwell Lane in Conshohocken

The survey about the preferred use of the property at 450 Colwell Lane in Conshohocken received 450 responses last week. Of the responses, 80% were Borough of Conshohocken residents and 20% were from outside the borough.

To refresh, a developer is seeking to figure out the best use of the property and some options will require relief from the current zoning code. The property is currently a warehouse with some office space.

To our surprise, a gun range was the preferred first choice for the use of the property. An indoor sports venue came in second, and that was followed by doggy daycare. It was interesting that the actual use allowed by current zoning, a warehouse, was the least preferred use.

We also asked what other use would you prefer if you couldn’t have your first choice. An indoor sports facility came in first with a mixed-use of retail/office on bottom and condos above and a doggy daycare facility virtually tied for second place.

See the full results below:

Comments
A local indoor Sporrs complex would be a great asset to the community.
MORE MIXED USE = LESS CARS AND MORE WALKABLE
youth sports is booming in the area and the need is growing each year. happy to be part of the conversation. 30 years of experience in youth and professional sports
For the love of GOD not the warehouse (more and larger trucks driving down colwell).
Anything BUT more housing!!
In reality I would want none of the above there is already too much traffic threat flows through west 6th to that area.
No gun range!!!
Trader Joe’s or Aldi would be best
We DON’T need more housing.
The more houses the better. #buildupconshohocken
It would be nice to have a local community center that is not sports oriented and not specifically for youth. Maybe combined with a food distribution center for local charities.
I am not a borough resident but live right on the other side of colwell in Plymouth. Why is a restaurant or bar not an option? We need something on this side of town.
Indoor/Outdoor food venue similar to Reading Terminal
No more houses
No more condos or townhouses
A gun range would bring a lot of business to Conshohocken
A Wawa 😉
We need a gun range but it will never get approved. So condos are the next best option for the borough.
Existing mixed use has small sq footage in town. New mixed use may attract different types of retail clients that would otherwise choose Ridge pike or beyond
Honestly I would rather see anything other than housing or hotel that is going to generate a ridiculous amount of traffic. This town already has enough parking issues to begin with.
No more condos or townhouses, worried about traffic
We need nice residential. I believe This developer can get it and get more tax payers in our area.
No gun range
I strongly oppose a gun range as this will likely increase the presence and ease of access to guns in the neighborhood.
Retail. No more residential!! It’s enough already! And no more trucks. We need local shops with parking
Many dog options already available
3rd answer mix w retail and condos above
I live next door at Freedley Sq and definitely DONT want a gun range or doggie daycare!
I also like the warehouse idea
How about doggie day care but also an indoor/outdoor dog park with a bar/restaurant for the humans.
DO NOT WANT A GUN RANGE. Completely unnecessary and would make me consider moving out of Conshohocken. Seems completely reckless thought based on the world we live in. No need for violence in the community
I live on this street and have young children we do not need anymore traffic with town homes and I do NOT want a gun range!
Absolutely hell no go the gun range and doggie daycare. Noisy and problematic
Please no more condos / townhouses!!!
I live on West 5th. No gun range!!
As a resident of W 5th Avenue, I am vehemently opposed to having a gun range in proximity to my home. I will not rest and will gain media attention and will not stop if that project moves forward by any means. I will also strongly oppose a warehouse expansion as there is already significant noise from trucks in our neighborhood.
For the love of god no more apartments!!
I live in a property that is nearby on 5th Avenue. If I had to rank the options presented, a gun range or a dog daycare would be at the absolute rock bottom of the list. Both would negatively impact the quality of my family’s lives, and would have my family seriously reconsidering our desire to remain in the borough. I would work my hardest, through our civic process and elected leaders, to ensure that a gun range or dog daycare would not receive Borough Council approval.
As a baseball coach, I would have my team there all the time if it was a sports complex
Is it possible for it to be an open air farmers market ala Reading Terminal or Race Street Pier in Philadelphia.
Lafayette Hill resident
What’s involved with a rooftop garden and outdoor greenspace with a lot of domestic mosses. Recycled water and an electric car share . Is it possible to harness the power of underground springs? Flooded there a little bit, a couple times. If I remember correctly.
I live right there, you can see my house in the pic.
An idea is a Roller Rink that can be transformed into ice rink or hockey rink. Too many town homes already in plan. Nice to have growth, but don’t want overkill. Not a fan of guns so close to a family community. As for doggie daycare, let’s give the new one that opened up a chance to see if we really need another one.
Too many houses already we don’t need more homes and more cars jamming up our streets. Too many homes takes away from the exclusitivity of the area. No expanded warehouse as we don’t need any more tractor trailers on tight roads. I personally feel a Trader Joe’s or weavers way coup would be perfect for this location but I understand it’s proximity lacking close to the main street. I like the sports complex idea and I’m thinking you could piggyback off it with some sort of indoor paintball or laser tag, batting cages, arcade type of place. Something more nostalgic that we can introduced to our new generation such as a roller rink ice rink.
Gun range
No more apartments!
Dispensary
No more trucks and no more housing
Conshohocken needs a doggie day care!
Trader Joes would be top choice and I think that literally EVERYONE would go regardless if its on a main road.
We have enough condos. Gun range would be a great addition
Bowling alley nothing like that in the town
I would vehemently oppose a gun range.
No more apartments/condos!!!!!
please no more quick build housing
A brewery
Nice to continue sidewalks down Colwell
I would fight against a gun range tooth and nail. It would attract the wrong element to town – conspiracy theorists with violent fantasies.
I swear to Christ do not put more fucking residential in here
We do not need anymore condominium in our town traffic is bad enough already out of hand
NO MORE CONDOS
DEFINITELY NOT A GUN RANGE. JUST NOT A SMART IDEA CONSIDERING THE TIMES. CONSHY IS A HAPPY PLACE. NO GUNS NEEDED. THANKS
The borough does not need to add more residential space until it improves the infrastructure to accommodate it.
I live on Plymouth Township side of Colwell. I would suggest a potential use of a brewery as many others in the extended area are not in central locations or on major roads. The only other one nearby is Conshohocken Brewery which does not have very much indoor or outdoor space. Similar models could be Workhorse Brewery in KOP or Bald Birds Brewing Company in Audubon which attract young people as well as families.
A market would be a great idea and just because it’s not a main road does not mean people won’t go. I’d rather a market instead of dealing with traffic on ridge just to get to weis. No more apartment buildings please 🙏🏻
NO gun range in a residential neighborhood!!
How about a dollar store???? There isn’t one in Conshy area you have to go to somewhere else
Market is best option. All the new apts and condos, plus that side of town has potential to grow into even more retail instead of all warehouse
Im a homeowner in west Conshohocken.
Dog training as well. There are no good ones nearby.
I will fight against a gun range.
Please let neighbors know that sound dampening is first and foremost in a shooting range so they will barely hear anything if they’re outside. They will hear nothing if they are in their homes. And the majority of people who will use the facility are responsible owners who are trying to maintain their skills and enjoy the activity.
Chick Fil-A would’ve excellent
Also the sports complex could share space for hall rentals for various occasions.
A firearms range is desirable as a regional option that can easily compete as other “local” ranges are in excess of 30 minutes drive to get to or have inadequate parking. This can also serve as a community service to provide training and safety courses on proper firearms handling, helping to decrease firearms related accidents and deaths.

Ranges can also be easily sound proofed (depending upon caliber of firearms allowed) to ease local residents concerns about sound, and have some of the best safety records regarding firearms use.

As this is such a unique business, there is nothing that can compete in the borough and would be a near guaranteed source of local tax revenue. There are many equally competing businesses for the other options slated for the property either within the borough or just outside the limits. The range option would be a near monopoly for the borough and beyond.
None of the other uses really make sense.
None of the other uses really make sense.
Thank you for opportunity to comment
Location provides easy access to 76, 476, and PA tpk.
Conshohocken is over saturated with residential be home building!
none of the above
I live right behind this and will not be comfortable with a gun range. Also, a doggie daycare just opened in Conshy on Elm. Why try to open two in such a small area?
I do not live in the borough but nearby and would consider bringing my dog to stay at such a boarding facility. NO GUN RANGE!
Okay with all except gun range
Love the location
Are hydroponic grow houses allowed in Conshohocken?
How about a produce Junction. Many of those stores are in industrial and off the beaten path areas. Closes one is in Jenkintown
What the area needs! Emulate House of Sports in Ardsley New York. A winner for owner/builder and area children and adults. Please look into it!
Indoor gun range would be great – provides a unique attraction for Conshohocken. No gun sales on site should ease the worry of neighbors.
There are a lot of two bedroom condos available in Conshohocken between the Grande and other planned construction. Please consider doing larger 3 bedroom units
please no more housing
I would be extremely against a gun range, anything else seems reasonable.
Can’t submit my bday in appropriate spot with out scrolling all the way back
I vote for options that would increase people to the area to help stimulate the restaurants and retail that already exist here. We have enough housing and office space.
If there is to be retail below the townhomes, why couldn’t it all be retail?
Just open space fo dogs aka dog park
NO GUNS PLEASE!!!!!!!!
I would like to see the small format grocery chased harder. Currently, there are no small format retailers currently within 3 miles of the borough, with the exception of Aldi King of Prussia falling just inside of the radius as the bird flies. That said, this existing store is inconvenient due to the river crossings and typical traffic patterns. All of the existing centers on the arterial roads within the same 3 mi radius currently have existing grocery stores or are fully leased. The only current vacancies a retailer might consider are the Alanwood Rd center and the former Genaurdis on Sandy Hill Rd. Both sites offer less-than ideal access and Sandy Hill would not have the same demographics.

Looking to Aldi’s real-estate requirements as an example, the site does appear to have potential.
Specific location criteria:

±22,000 square feet with a minimum of 95 dedicated parking spaces
2.5 acre pads for purchase and development
End-cap or inline space with minimum of 103’ of frontage
Signalized, full access intersection preferred
Dense trade area population within 3 miles
Sites located in community and regional shopping districts with convenient access to population
Sites zoned to allow grocery use
Daily traffic count in excess of 20,000 vehicles per day

There are seemingly no sites in the borough, vacant or occupied, that would meet all of the listed site qualifications. Considering the additional residential units and commercial office space coming onto the market, it would seem that the Colwell site has an attractive demographic for a small format retailer. Hurdles such as a zoning and possibly a parking constraint may require courting an interested retailer and developing a site proposal for the ZHB to review.
Best use of property for the youth in our area
Couldn’t input age above…..70 y.o.
NO MORE CONDOS
A gun range is a great idea and would be successful there
the expanded warehouse would be so bad for the community.
A range would be a welcome addition to the community, there are no public ranges close by. This would generate alot of income for the Boro.
What about something like a bowling alley, with some old school games, ski ball, virtual games, mini roller rink, sports bar and restaurant,. Something fun for the entire family, an adult night out, or work events? I think that is the one thing missing within the conshy area.
I would love to see this building be used for absolutely anything other than residential or mixed use condos. Conshohocken does NOT need more residential rental properties.
We do not need more condos/townhouses
Indoor soccer facility with turf fields would be great as there aren’t any options outside of King of Prussia and there are many youth and adults who play soccer.
No gun range!
Absolutely NO GUN RANGE!!! That will just bring problems into our community.
We own rental properties in Conshohocken and would love to see more amenities such as a sports complex or a replacement location for the ever popular chatter splatter. Second choice more housing.
Ice skating rink Many teams including high schools and public could use it, or indoor & outdoor tennis courts, these could also be considered for the Moore property on Fayette street,
Living at the top of colwell on I’d love to see some kind of better commerical use of the lower end of colwell. It just seems so industrial and empty down that end.
ice rink there is no local place for teams or recreation, – No more housing
or businesses
Tennis courts- easy to maintain, less traffic, there are no indoor courts available to the public,
PLEASE NO MORE HOMES or LARGE BUILDINGS!
Any of the warehouse options will add significant tractor trailer truck traffic to the area additionally impacting West Elm that is already a nightmare, same can be said for condos and apartment’s. There are also numerous options in the area for doggy daycare that would only dilute existing business. The gun range option will generate solid and consistent growth as there is no other options within a reasonable drive.
NO more housing!!!
Anything but a gun range please
Please, Conshohocken doesn’t need any more trucks on our roads nor noise from a gun range. I live at The Grande at Riverview and the traffic is horrible. The Soro project, the apartment building in the works on West Elm and behind us are going to make it alot worse. Please take this into consideration when you make your decision.
Rock climbing gym
How about an affordable senior community
Sports complex – public ice skating rink and ice hockey. We have no activities for kids and teenagers.
Anything but more apartments. Some kind of grocery or food retailer would be very cool though.
Would love to see bars and restaurants! Lots of residents in conshy and not enough cool places to drink.
CITY WORKS STYLE RESTAURANT! Sports barwith upscale food and drinks.

Think boathouse but with actual room for customers. Please and thank you.
I think an upscale restaurant/sports bar would be nice as well.
Make it open space!
No more residences or businesses that will lead to more daily traffic in/out of the borough.
I feel the space would be awesome for anything besides more houses and I feel like the town is becoming over built with houses and condos squeezed everywhere. The schools cannot handle it !
No more houses, apartments, or condos. We are saturated.
No gun range
Conshohocken does NOT need any more housing. Currently, older homes are being demolished and at least TWO homes are built in their place, increasing density in our town. Considering all the new rental, condo and homes built within the last 10 years, our population should rival Northeast Philadelphia, just on a smaller footprint.
Too much housing / over populating the town
Age is 34
No more house!
I live in west 5th it’s now a speedway with no parking because the over flow from the newer town homes come up our street. No more homes. Lived here my whole life and I hate this town because it’s way to over crowded. Put in a small grocery store or a produce place. A fun range would be just as noisy as a doggie daycare but I rather listen to dogs then guns.
If the sport complex has ice for hockey that would be awesome. There are leagues in our area that needs to travel 30 mins to play.
ENOUGH WITH THE DAMN HOUSES!!! YOUR ASS IS WORRIED ABOUT TRAFFIC(for now, lol) YET YOU THINK WE WONT KNOW YOUR JUST FILLING YOUR POCKETS!! BACK THE F UP, COMMIE DEMS!
Strongly opposed to any dog boarding use. The nose burden would be significant to the neighbors.
A small old fashioned movie theatre like the one in Scotia. NY. Or skating rink
Senior citizen complex
Thanks for asking for input! Best of luck with your endeavors!
NO houses or condos!!!!!!!!
No more condos/townhouses