Montgomery County · Cheltenham · MCPC #17-0261-003
Westminster Theological Seminary - Phase 2
2960 Church Road, Cheltenham, PA · 29,847 sq ft non-residential, institutional · 16.0 acres
About this project
Westminster Theological Seminary is amending its already-approved campus plan at 2960 Church Road in Cheltenham. The plan replaces the existing academic and chapel building with a new three-story academic building, with the chapel to be added later, and the seminary plans to demolish that older building to make room for a public outdoor gathering space. The revised layout covers about 16 acres, adds roughly 29,847 square feet of non-residential space, and reduces paved area compared with the earlier approval.
County planning commission: Supports, with comments
Issues raised: Gravel pathway parallel to Church Road does not connect to the parking/turnaround or other walkways, Pedestrian routes needed during and after phased construction of the academic building, Overall site plan showing the new building layout was not included
- Engineer / rep.
- Wilkinson Apex Engineering Group, LLC
- Zoning
- MU-2
- Approvals needed
- amended final land development approval
- Demolition
- Existing academic/chapel building, to make way for a public outdoor gathering space
Filing history
- 2024-04-05 · MCPC #17-0261-003 · Land Dev Plan, Prelim Plan, Resubmission · 29,847 sq ft
- 2019-02-26 · MCPC #17-0261-002 · Land Dev Plan, Prelim Plan, Resubmission · 99,570 sq ft
- 2017-11-07 · MCPC #17-0261-001 · Land Dev Plan · 134,748 sq ft
County review letters
2024-04-05 · CHELT 17-0261-003r.pdf
The full picture AI research · Nov 1, 2026
Westminster Theological Seminary is changing its already-approved campus plan at 2960 Church Road in Cheltenham. The site covers about 16 acres. The plan replaces the older academic and chapel building with a new three-story academic building of roughly 29,847 square feet. A chapel is planned to be added later.
The older building, Van Til Hall, has been the main classroom building since 1974. The seminary's own pages say it held a groundbreaking on May 23, 2024, and later reported the old hall fully demolished and the site being prepared for footings. The county plan says the cleared space would become a public outdoor gathering area. The plan also reduces paved area compared with the earlier approval.
The seminary describes a stone design meant to match its existing Machen Hall. No news coverage or opposition was found.
What it could mean nearby
- The county plan reduces paved area, which could mean less runoff than the earlier approval.
- A public outdoor gathering space is proposed where the old building stood.
- The new building replaces an existing academic building, so the records point to no new homes. Neither they nor the sources give traffic or job figures.
Where it stands
The seminary's pages show construction is under way, after a May 2024 groundbreaking and demolition of the old hall. The county filing is dated April 2024 and amends an approved plan. Next steps are usually final sign-off on the revised plan, building permits and construction. The chapel would follow later.
- May 23, 2024 Groundbreaking ceremony held at the seminary's graduation, per the seminary
- May 3, 2024 Last day of classes in the old Van Til Hall, per the seminary
- Apr 5, 2024 Latest county planning filing for the revised campus plan
Want to weigh in? Cheltenham Township's planning and governing bodies handle land development plans. Residents can usually comment at public meetings listed on the township website, but no specific hearing was found.
Who's behind it
Westminster Theological Seminary · A graduate-level theological seminary in Cheltenham with a campus at Church Road. Wilkinson Apex Engineering Group, LLC is the engineering firm on the filing.
Around the web
- Groundbreaking ceremonyWestminster Theological SeminaryDescribes the May 23, 2024 groundbreaking and the planned replacement of Van Til Hall with a new stone-style academic building.
- New building updateWestminster Theological SeminaryReports that Van Til Hall is fully demolished and the site is being prepared for footings.
Planning terms explained
- Land development plan
- A detailed plan showing buildings, paving and utilities on a site, which the township reviews and approves.
- Amended plan
- A change to a plan that was already approved, such as a new building layout.
- Non-residential square footage
- Building floor area used for something other than housing, such as classrooms.
- Impervious (paved) area
- Surfaces like pavement and roofs that do not absorb rain and increase runoff.
Researched by AI from public sources on Nov 1, 2026. It can make mistakes, so check the linked sources and the municipality before relying on it.
Scope estimate for contractors
Estimated construction value: $10.4M
- ~99 roofing squares (assumes 3 stories)
- ~74 tons of cooling (rule of thumb 400 sq ft/ton)
- ~3.2 acres of site work (grading, stormwater, landscaping)
- New three-story academic building, with attached chapel deferred to a later phase
- New parking areas and turnaround
- New trail and pedestrian walkways
- Stormwater management
- Demolition of existing academic/chapel building
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