Germantown Avenue's cobblestone sections through Chestnut Hill are part of what gives the neighborhood its character, and part of what generates its distinctive premises and real estate matters. Uneven historic stone, older commercial storefronts, and residential properties with decades of deed history each carry their own version of the same underlying issue: conditions and title records that predate modern building and recording standards, and that can turn into a hazard, a closing delay, or a boundary dispute if they aren't addressed properly.
Because Chestnut Hill sits within Philadelphia, claims involving the City itself, a hazard on a public sidewalk or roadway, follow the city's shorter six-month notice deadline and $500,000 damages cap, while claims against a private homeowner or business owner follow the standard rules. We handle both and help clients understand, early, which set of rules applies to their specific situation.
