“Saloon Restaurant” Plan

Project location: 203 North Sycamore Street, Newtown, PA 18940

Executive Summary

A redevelopment proposal for 203 North Sycamore Street, identified as “The Saloon Restaurant”, calls for architectural renovations, structural additions, expanded restaurant capacity, and restoration of historic design elements tied to the former F.B. Wentworth General Merchandise building.

The proposal includes a new first-floor bar/lounge addition, a second-floor outdoor seating terrace with a covered roof, ADA-accessible entries and ramps, restoration of a bay window, and repainting of historic exterior signage.

Project Team and Site Context

• Address: 203 North Sycamore Street, Newtown, PA 18940
• Initial submission: April 30, 2026
• Revision date: May 29, 2026
• Architect: Ralph C. Fey, AIA Architects
• Engineering: Dynamic Engineering and Joseph P. Howell Jr., PLS
• Zoning district: TC — Town Commercial

PowerPoint Slides

Download the PPT handout created by Gemini. The handout is also embedded below:

Zoning Compliance

Parking

• Existing seating: 120 seats requiring 60 parking spaces
• Proposed additional seating: 34 seats requiring 17 spaces
• Total parking required: 77 spaces
• Total parking provided: 45 spaces plus 1 handicap space

Historic Restoration Elements

The proposal emphasizes restoring the building’s historic character while modernizing its restaurant use.

• Restored bay window: A 6-inch bay window is proposed for the Jefferson Street elevation, based on historic photos.
• Historic signage: The exterior would include repainting of the “F.B. Wentworth General Merchandise” lettering.
• Porch restoration: The existing porch would be restored with painted cedar posts and a new wood railing system.

Exterior and Accessibility Improvements

• Existing exterior kitchen hood vents would be removed from the alley elevation and rerouted through the building interior.
• A stair area near the existing first-floor stair would be rebuilt to current code standards.
• A new ADA-accessible entry, ramp, and route would be added to improve access.

Proposed Structural Additions

Basement Level

• A new crawl space addition would support the expanded footprint above.
• Portions of the existing foundation would be reconstructed in-kind as needed.

First Floor

• Bar/lounge addition: A new approximately 25-foot by 32-foot bar/lounge area would be added.
• Entry and circulation: A new entry vestibule and stair landing would improve traffic flow.
• Kitchen and dining: The existing open kitchen would remain, while private dining areas and washrooms would be reconfigured.

Second Floor

• Outdoor terrace: The roof of the first-floor addition would become a second-floor outdoor seating area.
• Covered seating: The terrace would include a covered porch structure with a standing seam metal roof and fabric awnings.
• Decking and railing: The deck would use TimberTech composite decking with planters and a wood baluster railing.

Visual Character

Renderings from Sycamore Street and Jefferson Street show a two-and-a-half-story structure intended to maintain a traditional scale. The new additions would use siding and trim designed to match the existing building, while the second-floor terrace would be integrated behind a decorative wood rail to reduce its visual impact from street level.

Key Takeaway

The Saloon Restaurant proposal combines restaurant expansion with historic restoration. While it would slightly reduce impervious surface from 91% to 88%, the project still exceeds the Town Commercial district’s 50% impervious surface requirement and provides fewer parking spaces than required for the proposed seating total.