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S.A.V.E. Hosts Ian Lockwood May 9th

posted Fri, May 3, 2013

Route 41: From Dangerous Road to Stronger Community?

May 2, 2013

 

Kennett Square, PA – S.A.V.E. (Safety, Agriculture, Villages and Environment, Inc.) welcomes internationally acclaimed transportation engineer and designer, Ian Lockwood, who will present creative solutions for transportation and land use in the Route 41 corridor at 7 PM on May 9,2013 at the Stroud Water Research Center, 970 Spencer Road, Avondale, PA, 19311. A question and answer period will provide a forum for discussing safe, effective, and sustainable solutions to the diverse problems faced by all Route 41 users and surrounding communities.

Ian Lockwood recently completed the prestigious Loeb Fellowship at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design. He is the first transportation engineer ever to receive this honor. In 2009, Mr. Lockwood’s work for the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), a project entitled Route 31 Integrated Land Use and Transportation Plan, was awarded the Institute of Transportation Engineers’ Best Project Award. He is recognized for his work on Smart Growth, context-sensitive design, historic preservation, and traffic calming.

 

This event is free and open to the public. Due to limited seating, tickets are required. Information and tickets are available at: http://www.savepa.org/events/detail/an-evening-with-ian-lockwood/

 

A preview of Street Road Exhibition 3: Lost Highway 41 Revisited Blues will be on display during the event. The selected pieces by local artist, Gerald Harris, document the iconic Route 41 landscape. Information about the Street Road exhibition and details of the May 10^th opening are available at: http://www.streetroad.org/exhibition-3-lost-highway-41-revisited-blues.html

 

S.A.V.E. promotes safe and sustainable transportation design for the Route 41 corridor that will enhance the communities, strengthen the economy, and protect the precious natural and historic resources of Southern Chester County. 

The temporary heroes of New Garden Township

posted Wed, Feb 13, 2013

Examine some of the most tide-changing moments of protests in the history of the United States – the Declaration of Independence, the Women’s Suffrage Movement, the March on Selma, the March on Washington, the Stonewall Riots – and you will soon see that each of these movements grow from the same roots of intolerance.

 

Explore them with a keener eye and you’ll find other commonalities: Each has gathered strength in numbers; each has organized its platform; each has effectively taken on an establishment with greater influence then they had, each diligently held their ground, and ultimately by differing means, each cause ultimately emerged victorious.

 

The Jan. 18 ruling of the Hon. David F. Bortner of the Chester County Court of Common Pleas in favor of a land use appeal filed by Friends of New Garden to deny the Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust (PREIT) to subdivide their planned White Clay Point outdoor mall in Landenberg did not alter the course of American history. However, the Friends of New Garden – a grassroots group of common, everyday people who live in New Garden Township, who hired an attorney to oppose the ruling of the township’s Board of Supervisors that originally granted PREIT’s request – may be given credit for helping to save, or at least defray the township from becoming a quagmire of traffic and commercialization.

 

Judge Bortner ruled that the Friends of New Garden “have standing to bring this appeal” and that the Board of Supervisors “committed an error of law” in granting PREIT the waiver to convert the center from a subdivision into a condominium form of ownership. To those who root for underdogs, what sweet words these are to read, and for those individuals and families in the New Garden Township who are vehemently opposed to the construction of yet another Walmart in the area, this victory is pure vindication.

 

Although we do not yet know the final outcome of this planned, 700,000-square-foot concept slated for Route 41 – inquiries from the Chester County Press to PREIT continue to go unanswered – it is immaterial at the moment. For now, in the spirit of what has drawn the map of America, let’s thank the Friends of New Garden for their initiative and their victory.

 

Chester County PressEditorial, February 13, 2013

Reprinted by permission of the Chester County Press

Cochranville Woman killed in T-Bone Crash

posted Wed, Jan 30, 2013

By Tom Kelly IV

tkelly@dailylocal.com

January 30, 2013

 

LONDONDERRY — An elderly woman from Cochranville was killed Wednesday afternoon in a T-bone crash on Route 41 in which a flatbed tow truck struck her vehicle.

 

Mona Stanley, 80, was pronounced dead at the scene after being ejected from her 1987 Dodge Aries Sedan, Pennsylvania State Police said.

 

The collision occurred just after 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at the intersection of Gap-Newport Pike (Route 41) and Fernwood Road in Londonderry.

 

According to police, Stanley was traveling east on Fernwood Road when she failed to properly stop at a stop sign and attempted to cross Route 41. While crossing the highway she was struck by a 2006 F650 flatbed tow truck, which struck the passenger side of her car.

 

The driver of the tow truck George Elliott Jr., 43, of Lancaster, was transported by ambulance to Lancaster General Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, according to police.

 

The tow truck is owned by CJ’s automotive towing in Paradise, Lancaster County. Other employees of the company were at the scene Wednesday to take photographs and check on their injured co-worker.

 

The force of the collision between the two vehicles was enough to push both vehicles into the driveway of a home just north of the intersection.

 

The speed limit in that stretch of highway is 45 mph. The road was dry at the time of the collision and police do not believe speed played a factor in the crash.

 

West Grove Fire Company and Fire Police, Cochranville Fire Company, and the Chester County Coroner’s Office assisted State Police Avondale at the scene.

 

The vehicles were removed from the scene by Null’s towing.

 

Staff writer Jeremy Gerrard contributed to this story.

Area couple killed in Route 41 wreck Sunday night

posted Tue, Nov 20, 2012

By TOM KELLY IV
and SARA MOSQUEDA FERNANDEZ
mprice@dailylocal.com

KENNETT — Two motorists were killed Sunday evening when a tractor-trailer broadsided an SUV on Route 41, state police said.

The incident occurred about 6:30 p.m. just north of the Delaware state line.

Pennsylvania State Police identified the victims as Matthew Petke, 39, of Wilmington, De., and Brenda Petke, 45, also of Wilmington, De.

The Chester County Coroner’s Office pronounced the pair dead at the scene.

Witnesses told police the SUV, operated by Matthew Petke, had just pulled out from the Taquersa Moroleon Restaurant in the 9100 block of Gap Newport Pike (Route 41) and was turning to go south on the busy highway when the northbound tractor-trailer from Delaware struck the vehicle.

The tractor-trailer driver, identified as John Deapen, 35, of New Bethlehem, Pa., was uninjured, police said.

The two-lane highway is straight and level in both directions near the restaurant. The speed limit is 45 mph.

Safety concerns rise after Mortonville Bridge reopens

posted Thu, Apr 12, 2012

BY MICHAEL N. PRICE
mprice@dailylocal.com

Stephen DiDonato, who lives in a ground-floor apartment in Harper’s building, said he has personally experienced six crashes since moving there in February 2011, including one that totaled his vehicle while it was parked in the property’s roadside driveway.

“There have been four accidents that have wound up in the front yard since I’ve lived here,” DiDonato said, pointing to visible damage on a tree and porch post that occurred when a vehicle veered off the road in a recent crash.

DiDonato said the frequency of accidents has caused concerns for the safety of his family.

“I have a 6-year-old son, and that is my concern,” DiDonato said. “Having a 6-year-old son out here makes me really nervous. I don’t want to come out here and find somebody dead, and have my son out here and see a dead person.”

Harper and DiDonato said they hope the state will consider reposting speed caution signs and paint lines at the stop signs so drivers know how far to pull up before entering traffic.

PennDOT officials said speeding is an enforcement issue that falls to local police departments, not the transportation department. PennDOT officials said they had no recent correspondence with local police over problems with speeding near the bridge.

Citizens group opposes plan for shopping center that includes Wal-Mart

posted Tue, Mar 6, 2012

By Danielle Bouchat-Friedman

Community News

THE ISSUE

White Clay Point Town Center project moving forward again

posted Thu, Jan 26, 2012

By Steve Hoffman

Chester County Press

After several years of relative inactivity, it appears as if the White Clay Point Town Center project along Route 41 in New Garden Township is about to move forward again.

An amended land-development plan for the mixed-use, village-style town center has been submitted to the township by PREIT (Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust), the developer of the project.

Doug Grayson, the Executive Vice President of Development for PREIT, characterized the changes as very minor. The overall scope of the project remains unchanged from when the developer and the township reached a settlement agreement that resolved various issues relating to the project in 2007.

“The changes on this amended plan are related to a couple of the buildings,” Grayson explained, adding that the modifications are being made to suit the needs of specific tenants.

If the details of the amended land-development plan can be resolved quickly, it’s possible that preliminary work on the project site can begin by the end of this year.

The town center is the focal point of the project, but there will also be a multi-tenant retail center, a convenience store, and an age-restricted residential community.

PREIT, headquartered in Philadelphia, operates 49 retail properties, including 38 shopping malls, 8 town centers, and 3 development properties.

Supervisors ponder PREIT project changes

posted Thu, Jan 26, 2012

By Nancy Johnson

Chester County Press

 

The hour was late, but the New Garden Board of Supervisors were determined to go through their proposed edits in the latest correspondence with PREIT, but in the end their effort was in vain.  On Monday night a number of residents stuck it out as well, once again re-enforcing their concerns about the shopping center project that has been discussed for almost a decade.

It was clear from the meeting’s start that residents had concerns, though Roz DuPont was the only one to take to the podium during the opening public comment period. She expressed her concern “about PREIT wanting to change things on the agreement. If we vote to let them have anything they want, how does it square with what was agreed to five years ago?” She added, “One wouldn’t know how big the changes are as there are no additional hearings.”

Township solicitor Neil Land explained to DuPont and the audience as a whole that what was being considered by the Board that evening “were not significant changes to the settlement plan.”

“This is solely an effort to address minor changes like exterior building facades and locations of doors. There are no changes to impervious coverages or the sizes of the buildings,” he explained.

Later in the evening, when the PREIT agreement came up on the agenda, it was clear that the audience were not the only ones with some qualms about the changes requested by the developer.

Land, who in recent months has worked extensively on the agreement, told the supervisors, “The agreement being considered is a supplement to the settlement agreement with minor modifications. There are no additional buildings, no sharing of space, the number of tenants is the same,” he emphasized.

One of the changes PREIT had requested would give them some flexibility as far as the square footage size of the individual stores within a building.

“We want it to be successful,” Chairman of the Board of Supervisors Bob Perrotti expressed. “What does it matter if a store size goes up or down a little?”

Supervisor Warren Reynolds disagreed. “We have to try to maintain the quality of the establishments. I think people want smaller, upscale stores.” He emphasized, “My concern is not for PREIT’s success, it is for the residents of this township,” which drew some applause from the audience.

Supervisor Bob Norris noted, “I think there are some conflicts in the draft that’s in front of us.”

Land made it clear that he did not believe this draft would be the end of it. “This is going to be a negotiation. It is our proposal to them,” he said.

“The question is whether or not we’re willing to let them shift some percentage of floor space from one store to another,” Norris simplified. “It’s not about whether we can change the spirit of the shopping center. That’s long gone.”

“Right now the language allows them immense latitude,” Reynolds insisted. “We need a better definition. What does ‘minor’ mean?”

Although some of the supervisors favored taking more time to review PREIT’s requests and then finalizing their response at the next meeting, Norris pushed to complete the task that evening. “The only way we can get through it is to go comment by comment,” he said.

Supervisor Barclay Hoopes agreed, “Let’s get it done – the sooner the better. It’s been nine years and it’s not even started yet.”

But shortly after Land began reading the document paragraph by paragraph, it was clear that there were too many questions that could not be answered that night.

In the end, it was decided that Land would talk directly with PREIT’s attorney and get a better clarification on several items.

“We hope to re-address it as soon as we can,” confirmed Township manager Dan Fox.

***

For more information, please visit the Friends of New Garden website.

Developers’ plans for first phase of new mall draw citizen outrage

posted Thu, Jan 26, 2012

By Richard L. Gaw

Chester County Press

During a sometimes volatile three-hour exchange between commercial developers, New Garden Township supervisors and 150 local residents, plans were shared for the first phase of development for White Clay Point, an eventual 700,000-square-foot retail center on Gap-Newport Pike (Route 41) near Landenberg, which is anticipated to open in phases beginning in 2012. The meeting was held Oct. 10 at the Township Building.

Referring to a multi-colored image projected onto a large screen, representatives from the Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust (PREIT) unveiled Phase 1 (A)(1) of the project, which calls for the construction of a 181,000-square-foot Walmart on the south side of Route 41, and a Wawa convenience store located to the south and across Route 41 from the store.

This phase, scheduled to break ground in 2011, is contingent on the receipt of financial agreements and signed documents — and is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2012. This phase is part of a projected 716,000-square-foot retail and mixed-use town center, extending from just north of the Route 7 exit, and extending to Sunny Dell Road and Reynolds Road in Landenberg.

In addition to the Walmart, a multi-tenant retail center will be constructed adjacent to the store, and an 83-lot age-restricted residential community will be constructed on the north side of Route 41. Additionally, the project calls for road improvements to Sunny Dell Road, Sharp Road, Sheehan Road and the widening of Route 41, as well as some improvements on Route 7.

PREIT spokesman Greg Adelman said the project is scheduled to be smaller than originally expected. Based on the subdivision/land development plan changes for the project issued on Aug. 3, the “footprint” of the Walmart is being reduced from 184,198 square feet to 181,648 square feet, while the Wawa is being reduced from 6,105 square feet to 4,983 square feet.

Overall, the total impervious coverage for the site is being reduced from 2,045,432 square feet to 1,955,233 square feet – a decrease of 90,199 feet. The total proposed building coverage for the site will be reduced from 490,955 square feet to a little more than 472,000 square feet.
To make room for the new tenants, Adelman said that all current mushroom and compost operations in the vicinity of the development will be required to cease operation by the end of the year, and that these sites will be dismantled.

The White Clay Point project is only one of several retail properties owned and operated by PREIT. Founded in 1960, the Philadelphia-based company’s portfolio consists of 49 retail properties, including 38 shopping malls, eight community centers and three development properties, located in the eastern half of the nation and primarily in the Mid-Atlantic region.

The original seeds of this project date back nearly 13 years, when plans were first filed with the township’s planning commission. After two years of hearings with the planning commission, the project was first brought to a township board hearing on Nov. 29, 2001. On April 23, 2003, after 19 public hearings, the board attached 97 total conditions to the agreement. On May 14, 2003, PREIT appealed to the Court of Common Pleas in Chester County, and settled the lawsuit on June 25, 2007 after a series of public hearings.

The project received preliminary approval on Aug. 11, 2008, and final approval on Sept. 8, 2008. The first phase of development had been placed on hold due to the struggling economy.

During that time, the Township asked PREIT to focus on three components of the project: Its impact of the development on road safety, the proper development of stormwater management, and creating a proper architectural “feel” in the project’s design — all of which were addressed by PREIT, township officials and citizens at Monday’s meeting.

Mike Donovan, a Somerset Lake resident and a member of The Friends of New Garden, a grassroots gathering of local citizens concerned about the development, expressed concern that the impending construction would clog the Reynolds Road area on the south side of the planned development, and that after work was finished, the traffic going in and out of the mall would further create a logjam along an already busy Route 41.

“It’s going to affect our entire community,” Donovan said. “I told people that this will change the way we are, that people are going to use our community as a back road to the mall.”

According to traffic studies done on the project, there’s no reason to panic. Given that the planned project will be slightly smaller than the original design, township engineer Chris Williams said that a traffic study developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has predicted that less traffic will be generated as a result of this reduction.

According to August’s plan changes, the development will include a revised water main design in the vicinity of Sunny Dell and Egypt Roads, as well as the construction of a water tower. In addition to being a little smaller than originally projected, the White Clay Point Walmart will look modern as well.

Thomas Comitta, a West Chester-based town planner, landscape architect and a township consultant, said that the Walmart meets all Township Planning Commission requests, and that the store will be contemporary in design.

“What we have here is far better than the other Walmarts we’ve seen in this area in the last five years,” Comitta said, noting the planned building’s modern roof line and use of contemporary colors. “Would we rather see something that looks like Rome? Yes, but we’re seeing different stylistic features.”

However, the dominant question asked by residents and some of the supervisors was, “Why a Walmart?”

“Walmart is the best economic engine for a successful center, particularly in these times,” Adelman said. “Without a Walmart, it doesn’t happen.”

When asked to include a list of other potential suitors for the site, Adelman declined to name stores that had been considered.

Over the course of the three-hour deliberation, township legislators and PREIT representatives got backlash from more than a dozen local citizens.

Kim Anderson of Somerset Lake discussed the income level discrepancy between Landenberg area residents and those who normally shop at Walmart, saying that the placement of the store in the area would lower home property values.

Laura Linderman of Landenberg, who read from a prepared statement, said that she had signed a petition against the building of the Walmart that had gathered more than 250 signatures, mostly from nearby residents. Her husband Dan appealed to the board of supervisors to “be on the residents’ side,” he said. “We should all be behind this project, and we’re not.”

In a prickly exchange between Board Chairman Robert J. Perrotti and Landenberg resident Dr. Deepak Doraiswamy, Doraiswamy asked Perrotti if the township supervisors are reflecting the needs of the community or the needs of PREIT. “But name one advantage of building a Walmart here,” Doraiswamy said.

Perrotti did not provide a response.

When later asked the same question, PREIT  representatives did not answer, saying instead that the advantages are included in earlier proposals.

After public discourse ended well past midnight, the board voted to proceed with the project, with the caveat that PREIT closely attend to seven provisions to the agreement spelled out by board member Bob Norris.

“The truth is that they’re (PREIT) sticking to the agreement of this deal,” Norris told the audience. “They have a legal right and they can do with it whatever they want to. They’re taking a huge risk and now they have to make decisions that are good for them.”

Perrotti pointed to the tax advantages for the township that the mall would bring.

“Every building on this project will need to pay school taxes,” he said. “The value of homes have dropped as much as twenty percent, and consequently, the school district has lost the resources as a result of of taxes having to be reassessed. If we don’t get tax revenues, taxes will have to increase. You can’t have the roads maintained and police coverage if you don’t have the income to do so.

“This will be one of the most major improvements made to this stretch of highway in my lifetime,” Perrotti added. “The improvements they’re planning for New Garden Township are huge for New Garden. We need a starting point, and we need it now.”

***

For more information, please visit the Friends of New Garden website.

New Garden Township Board approves plan for new Wal-mart

posted Thu, Jan 26, 2012

By Danielle Bouchat-Friedman

The Community News

October 12, 2011

New Garden Township, PA- More than 100 concerned New Garden Township citizens attended the Board of Supervisors meeting Monday night- a meeting which lasted well past midnight.

Residents argued with the board and representatives from the Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust about the final stages of their commercial development project, which has been in the works since 2001. The project has been in the pipeline for quite sometime and drew such a large crowd for one of the major portions of the project: the construction of a new Wal-Mart.

The proposed development consists of 460,525 square feet of commercial/retail use south of Newport-Gap Pike. It also includes roadway improvements for Newport-Gap Pike, Sunny Dell Road, Sheehan Road, Sharp Road and the Limestone Road interchange. This project received initial approvals in 2008.

Greg Adelman, a representative for PREIT, said that the project was put on hold shortly after that approval due to the sluggish economy. Monday’s proposal included modifications to the plan, namely the modest reduction in the size of several buildings.

Adelman stated that the presence of Wal-Mart would boost the economy.

“Wal-Mart is the best economic engineer we can have, and is the best suited tenant for this project,” Adelman said, which resulted in sneers and jeers from the crowd.

Citizens were determined to express their opposition to the impending project, citing traffic and increased crime concerns as well as their desire for higher-end shopping.

Mike Donovan, a member of the Friends of New Garden Township, spoke to the board about traffic. According to the board, a traffic impact study was done by an engineer from PREIT, and was approved by PennDOT. By law, PREIT is not required to complete another at this time.

Kim Anderson, also a New Garden Township resident, thought the project would resemble the Exton Mall, with higher-end retail shopping.

“Our income levels are high, and a Wal-Mart is not what we needed,” Anderson said. “This is not the image we needed for our community.”

Herbert Blackwelder, Jr. a retired Land Use Planner for New Castle County, was the only resident who spoke in favor of the project.

“This project complies with all county regulations,” Blackwelder said. “Tenants will line up when the Wal-Mart comes in.”

The Board of Supervisors voted to approve the next stage of development, which could break ground as early as December of this year.

***

For more information, please visit the Friends of New Garden website.

New Garden residents angered over Wal-mart waiver

posted Thu, Jan 26, 2012

By P.J. D'Annunzio

The Kennett Times

November 23, 2011

With 3-2 vote, Board of Supervisors passes a waiver allowing PREIT to circumvent the normal development process in the creation of a new supercenter

NEW GARDEN — It is not uncommon these days to hear stories of small town residents fighting big business in an attempt to preserve their communities. Americans have been known to favor the underdog, but the reality is set farther apart from than the romanticized notions many in the township have held over this issue.

A 3-2 vote was rendered by the New Garden Township Board of Supervisors to grant a waiver to the Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust (PREIT) to transfer ownership rights to the White Clay Point Town Center from a subdivision format to condominiums.

PREIT is the organization behind the development of such commercial centers as Main Street in Exton and the Voorhees Town Center in Voorhees NJ, to name a few.

“Some tenants come into developments where they can finance and separately secure their financing against either a parcel or a condo unit,” said Greg Aldeman, Spokesman and Legal Counsel for PREIT. “If you take away these units and it just becomes one big town center with no individual interests in the ownership of these buildings, you will discourage certain tenants from coming.”

The condominium format, while beneficial to PREIT, may increase the risk of units remaining vacant after businesses fail or move out, creating potential eyesores in the community and detracting from New Garden’s rural heritage and putting a blemish on Open Space.

The debate, however, lies in the sentiment of the residents, who in passionate discourse with the township relayed their growing distaste toward the concept of the large shopping center and also the perception that PREIT did not adequately relate “undue hardship,” a condition that is required for a waiver to be granted in such circumstances.

“A settlement agreement is a settlement agreement,” Attorney Dwight Yoder said to the BOS. “They have to show hardship. Even if there’s a lot of revenue coming in and the township could benefit financially, they have to show hardship…I would just say be careful what you wish for. I wonder if the transfer taxes will accommodate the one or two new police officer’s salaries needed to monitor a complex like this, to deal with the traffic problems, to deal with the shoplifting calls that will come from this store and that will have to be prosecuted.”

Yoder represents roughly 40 New Garden families in this dispute, including those of the Somerset Lake community located near the construction site of the town center.

“This is a classic self-induced hardship,” he continued. “You can’t create the hardship and then go to the municipality and say ‘By the way township, we have a hardship and we want to waive the plans.’ It’s my opinion that this is a way to essentially use a waiver as a backdoor way to get variances to zoning ordinances.”

Yoder then asked township solicitor Neil Land if, in his opinion, PREIT had demonstrated undue hardship before the board in their reasoning.

After reiterating the issue for some time, Land came to the conclusion: “No they have not.” However, the decision still rested in the hands of the Supervisors.

The meeting dragged on, from 7 PM to 11:30 PM, with citizens battling the township and PREIT in impassioned speeches, sometimes inciting uncontrollable crowd eruptions. Toward the end of the meeting, retiring supervisor Barclay Hoopes gave his take on the issue in a monologue that ranged from heartfelt to irate.

“How am I as a supervisor going to resolve this thing?” he stated. “We still haven’t solved the problem…Wawa’s going to be built and Wal-Mart is going to be built, regardless of any decision made tonight. It’s going to happen.”

“Another thing,” he continued, “I’m very concerned about our national economy. There are a lot of people out there who need jobs right now. Maybe we ought to put them to work…I value this community, I value each and every one of you.”

After the decision was made to allow the waiver, Warren Reynolds addressed his fellow board members.

“You’re granting a waiver that we’ve never granted before to the biggest entity we’ve ever dealt with, that has no hardship.” he said. “New Garden Township just got taken to the cleaners.”

The construction of the Wawa and the 181,000 square foot Wal-Mart complex is set to be completed in 2012, after breaking ground later this year.

***

For more information, please visit the Friends of New Garden website.

Board votes in favor of PREIT request

posted Thu, Jan 26, 2012

By Richard L. Gaw

Chester County Press

Following a three-and-a-half-hour deliberation on Tuesday, one in which impassioned citizens pleaded with its leaders to not give in to the wishes of a big-time developer, the New Garden Township board of supervisors voted 3-2 in favor of granting the Pennsylvania Real Estate Trust (PREIT) a waiver request to convert the new White Clay Point Town Center in New Garden Township from a subdivision into a condominium form of ownership that, according to PREIT, would provide flexibility in attracting potential tenants to the site, as well as stimulate the resale of the overall development.

Before a packed audience at the township building, Greg Adelman, PREIT attorney and spokesman, said that PREIT was making the request because it believes that requiring the Philadelphia-based company to go through a subdivision process would cause “undue hardship,” and that the arrangement would potentially dissuade potential tenants from becoming a part of the center.

“What we have found over time is that each tenant has different requirements in terms of how it finances its construction and development,” Adelman said.  “Some tenants come into developments where they can finance and separately secure their financing against either a parcel or a condo unit. If you take away these units and it just becomes just one big center with no individual interest in the ownership of these buildings, you will discourage certain tenants from coming. (If the waiver is passed), PREIT will still continue to manage the overall center and make sure that all terms are approved through the township.”

PREIT unveiled Phase 1 (A)(1) of the project at the township’s October board of supervisors meeting, which calls for the construction of a 181,000-square-foot Walmart on the south side of Route 41, and a Wawa convenience store located to the south and across Route 41 from the store. Scheduled to break ground later this year and completed in 2012, the Walmart and the Wawa will be the first phase of a projected 716,000-square-foot retail and mixed-use town center, extending from just north of the Route 7 exit, and extending to Sunny Dell Road and Reynolds Road in Landenberg.

In addition to the Walmart, a multi-tenant retail center is scheduled to be constructed adjacent to the store, and an 83-lot age-restricted residential community will be constructed on the north side of Route 41. Additionally, the project calls for road improvements to Sunny Dell Road, Sharp Road, Sheehan Road and the widening of Route 41, as well as some improvements on Route 7.

The project is scheduled to be smaller than originally expected. Based on the subdivision/land development plan changes for the project issued on Aug. 3, the “footprint” of the Walmart is being reduced from 184,198 square feet to 181,648 square feet, while the Wawa is being reduced from 6,105 square feet to 4,983 square feet.

PREIT was appealing to the township in compliance with the Shaffer Decision, a 2008 law passed by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court which ruled that the planned decision of a tract of land into units or the transfer of a unit cannot be done without first having receiving development approval by an authorized municipal-like association.

Adelman referred to the 2007 settlement agreement between the township and PREIT, which stated that “if the provisions of a township’s subdivision and land development ordinance conflict with the terms of this agreement, the terms of this agreement shall  govern.” “When you take a look at the zoning requirements in the settlement, if you make somebody comply with that, you will end up with never being able to have a condo (arrangement) on this property,” Adelman said.

“The issue of condominium ownership wasn’t dealt with because the law at the time didn’t require it to be done without municipal approval. It regulates the form of ownership that can occur on this property, it eliminates a feasible, working ability to form retail condominiums on this property.”

PREIT’s request caused a flourish of disapproval by township residents, who devoted a two-hour time block to emotional appeals — many of whom have their roots still dug in their opposition to the entire project — and tactical, well-planned arguments that presented the case that PREIT’s appeal of “undue hardship” didn’t have aleg to stand on. Donna Lewis of Somerset Lake questioned the validity of building a Walmart so close to the Delaware line. “This Walmart is going to be in Pennsylvania,” she said. “Fifty yards from there is Delaware. Who’s going to come and shop and pay taxes on multiple items when they can go to Lantana Square and not pay taxes?”

Richard Trask of Somerset Lake, a vocal opponent to White Clay project, said that a decision of this magnitude should go through the normal legal channels. “They’re (PREIT) using this settlement agreement to get what they want, and when they’re through with it, they’ll sell off chunks of land,” he said. “Doing this through by means of a waiver is probably illegal.”

Referring to the oversized architectural map of the White Clay plan on a screen beside him, Adelman responded to Trask. “You’re insinuations are wrong,” he said. “This plan hasn’t changed, and this board holds those keys. If someone else comes in here and says, ‘I want to build a Costco where the retail strip is,’ they will have to agree to that. This isn’t a subdivision. This is about the ownership of what you see on that board.”

Dwight Yoder, an attorney serving on behalf of 40 families whose homes are within site of White Clay Point – many of whom moved to the area after the settlement was agreed to — disputed that PREIT’s request was due to “undue hardship,” and urged the board to deny PREIT’s request and allow the subdivision process to take place, funneling the process through the township’s planning commission and zoning boards. “This is a classic, self-inflicted hardship,” he said. “You can’t create the hardship, and then go to the municipality and say, ‘By the way township, we have a hardship, and you have to waive the plans.’

“In my opinion, to essentially use a waiver to a subdivision is a backdoor way to get variances to zoning ordinances.”

Long-time supervisor Steve Allaband, who will replace outgoing supervisor Baclay Hoopes on the board next year, pointed out several discrepancies in the interpretation of the wording in the settlement agreement. He then asked township solicitor Neil Land whether the board had the authority to waive the subdivision process. According to Land, the township did, in fact, have the authority to grant the waiver.

“(The board) has the right and the responsibility, although there is no responsibility to reach that decision tonight,” he said.

Forming his opinion under the caveat of what’s best for the township, supervisor Bob Norris said that denying PREIT the waiver would force the township to challenge PREIT in court, which would cost the township thousands of dollars in attorney costs. “Will the township win that legal battle?” he asked. “If we force them (PREIT) to go with the subdivision process, we get stuck with big fat legal fees. We could stick it to them, but it doesn’t change the final outlook.”

Norris then appealed to the members of PREIT that if the waiver was passed, to consider the possibility of implementing more open space considerations to White Clay Point, in response to the many appeals from township residents. He then made a motion to pass the waiver und er the stipulation that no construction vehicles will be allowed through Somerset Lake streets during the time of construction and contingent upon agreeing to all terms of the settlement agreement.

When the final tally was taken, those in favor of passing the waiver were Norris, Chairman Robert  Perrotti and Barclay Hoopes. Those not in favor of the waiver were Betty Gordon and Warren Reynolds, who did not believe that PREIT’s argument for the waiver did not define “undue hardship.” “When someone is making a hardship claim, we should see some supporting documentation,” he said. “You need to show what the hardship is.”

At 11:30, soon after the decision was rendered, Reynolds leveled Norris, Perrotti and Hoopes with a closing response. “By saying, ‘I’m doing this,’ you’re waving all subdivision oversight zoning and deliberately all zoning oversight, including the zoning dimensional criteria in the settlement agreement. You have left New Garden with no oversight now. None. They have no need to even present a plan when it comes time to build the town center. You can say, ‘Present a plan,’ and they’ll say, ‘Why?’ You’re granting a waiver we’ve never granted before to the biggest entity we’ve ever dealt with, that has no hardship. New Garden Township just got taken to the cleaners.”

Reynolds’ comment, which he asked to put on the township record, drew loud applause from the many township citizens in the audience who remained.

***

For more information, please visit the Friends of New Garden website.

Supervisors polarized over PREIT

posted Thu, Jan 26, 2012

By Nancy Johnson

Chester County Press

Once again, on Monday night as the New Garden Board of Supervisors discussed requests by PREIT concerning their shopping center complex, there were two schools of thought on the subject.

PREIT is requesting clarification on several issues in the settlement plan, which township solicitor Neil Land summarized as 1) moderate modifications to the building footprints; 2) Ability to reallocate space (square footage) between buildings; and 3) Minor changes to the facades of the buildings.

After last month’s extensive discussion by the board on the subject, the supervisors had asked Land to put together a draft of an agreement that would allow the first and third of these requests, but would not agree to the second request, the one regarding the ability to vary the square footage among the buildings.

The concern among board members was that if PREIT was granted the ability to move the total square footage space among the buildings, they could take wind up with an even smaller town center area while the large power center would be even bigger.

“I think it’s a good response,” supervisor Warren Reynolds said of Land’s agreement. “But again, it’s all about what PREIT would like and what we’re going to give them. I think there should be something for New Garden in there, so therefore, I am not going to vote for it.”

Supervisor Betty Gordon also voiced her disapproval of granting PREIT’s requests. “I’m still uncomfortable with this plan. I don’t know what we’re giving away,” she insisted.

Gordon said she was concerned that PREIT had no tenants committed as of yet. “Is it the economy as they say or is it because businesses don’t feel it is the right location for them? What if it is sold?” she questioned. “I’m very uncomfortable with the whole thing. We are giving away some of our power and I don’t see what New Garden gets out of it but the money that they already owe us.”

In the end, the supervisors voted 3 to 2 to in favor of presenting Land’s agreement to PREIT, with Reynolds and Gordon casting the dissenting votes.

The supervisors also heard from Land regarding another topic that is a regular on the New Garden Township agenda, Candlewyck. The solicitor had prepared for the Board’s approval, release and hold harmless agreements for Travellers and Liberty Mutual Insurance companies that would finalize the transactions to release three bonds totaling $451,820. The monies will be used to complete a number of punchlist items left unfinished at the development by now bankrupt Orleans.

“It’s been a long haul to get there,” Land said with a hint of a smile. “We’re not done the project yet, but the release of funds will get it going. These folks have waited a long time.”

Township manager Dan Fox suggested that the Homeowners Association create a priority list of the work remaining at Candlewyck. “$451,000 may not cover it all,” he noted.

Land agreed that the punchlist should be prioritized from the most to least important items.

President of the Candlewyck Homeowner’s Association John Wiedmann asked, “What additional accountability is the Township going to take on?” He noted that while there may have been different members, the Board of Supervisors did return escrow money to Orleans.

The Nunan Group’s patience paid off as the supervisors unanimously granted approval for their land development project at 1120 Newark Rd. that has been in discussion for several years. The project will include constructing a 9,000 square foot commercial building on the site to be used primarily to store materials and equipment for ServPro. A small portion of the building will be used for training rooms.

***

For more information, please visit the Friends of New Garden website.

New Garden grants waiver for White Clay Point subdivision

posted Thu, Jan 26, 2012

By Wm. Shawn Weigel

Daily Local News

November 16, 2011

Resident accuses board member of conflict over White Clay Point

posted Thu, Jan 26, 2012

By Wm. Shawn Weigel

The Kennett Paper

December 20, 2011

An allegation of conflicted interest sparked a brief but intense exchange between a supervisor and resident at Monday night’s business meeting in New Garden.

At that meeting, supervisors voted 3-2 to grant the Pennsylvania Real Estate Trust’s request for a waiver made last month allowing them to use a condominium designation on their proposed project,

Supervisors Betty Gordon and Warren Reynolds cast the two dissenting votes, citing that their stance has not changed since the last vote in October.

Before the vote, however, resident Dan Linderman questioned board member Barclay Hoopes on an arrangement between his son’s business and the White Clay Point property.

Linderman said that Hoopes Brothers, LLC., a farming and landscaping company owned by Hoopes’ son, maintains a field on the 187-acre parcel, planting and harvesting crops and hay.

Linderman then asked Barclay Hoopes to recuse himself from voting on any further issues concerning PREIT and the White Clay Point project.

Hoopes said that he long ago revealed the nature of that agreement, one which he said has stood for over a decade as part of a similar arrangement with previous owners the Pia family.

Hoopes also said that both township manager Dan Fox and solicitor Neil Land informed him that there was no conflict of interest.

“I have never, with this board of supervisors in any discussion about PREIT, not let them know that my sons have been farming that land,” Hoopes said. “It is no surprise to this board.”

Hoopes noted that his family is likely the largest farming institution in the township and that he has no financial interest in Hoopes Brothers, LLC.

“There’s no kickbacks,” he said.

Land said that he was well aware of the arrangement and that he felt there was no conflict whatsoever, although he added that the decision to recuse himself rests entirely with Hoopes.

Although Linderman maintained that it wasn’t a personal attack against Hoopes, Hoopes said he took it as such.

“I’m not deceiving anybody, there’s no deception on my part. I’ve been through it, I’ve been through it, I’ve been through it,” Hoopes said.

Board chairman Bob Perrotti stood behind Hoopes’ decision not to recuse himself.

“No member of this board would ever question your integrity, Barclay,” Perrotti said.

***

For more information, please visit the Friends of New Garden website.

Penn Township takes possession of Red Rose Inn

posted Sun, Sep 4, 2011

By MARCELLA PEYRE-FERRY
Special to the Daily Local News

PENN — Saving the historic Red Rose Inn may not be as difficult as initially feared. Last month, Penn Township supervisors voted to take possession of the property by eminent domain, not knowing the structural condition of the building.

At their Aug. 3 meeting, board Chairman Curtis Mason reported from a meeting with an architect and a restoration contractor at the inn. “The center part is so good it’s a preservation not a restoration. That made me feel good,” Mason said.

The center core of the building is the original portion that dates to colonial days, while the wings were added much later. There has been significant damage to the building by vandals who have torn all of the copper out of the building and even ripped out ceilings. “Fortunately most of the damage was in the carriage house,” Mason said. “Thankfully most of the damage was in the parts that were not going to be preserved.”

The township has boarded up the building to keep vandals out and trimmed the weeds on the property to increase visibility around the structure. But until money changes hands and all chance of appeal of the eminent domain action is over the township cannot proceed with any substantial work on the building.

As they go through that process, cost estimates to tear off or move portions of the building and to restore the original core are being sought.

Tina Skinner from the Oxford Arts Alliance was on hand at the meeting to offer help with the building. This spring, the organizations held a designer show house at the Stonebridge mansion in Chadds Ford, renovating and decorating the interior and gardens of that building.

Skinner believes designers would be eager to do the same kind of project at the Red Rose Inn. “I always thought that would be a way to save a valuable landmark.

I know we could get contractors, we could get decorators, we could get landscapers,” she said.

If a project like the designer show home was done, furnishings and décor would be brought in for the show and removed when it is over, but improvements such as paint and moldings would remain.

At this point, the township is not making any firm decisions on the direction it will go with the property, but it is encouraged by the inn’s condition and the community support.
 

Motorcycle crash in New Garden kills woman and injures husband

posted Tue, Aug 2, 2011

The Kennett Paper

By Chris Barber

Township adopts map of historic resources

posted Mon, Jul 25, 2011

By MARCELLA PEYRE-FERRY, Special to the Daily Local News

PENN — Appeals are expected following the June adoption of a new historic resources map that accompanies a zoning ordinance passed in 2004.

Among provisions in the historic resources ordinance adopted seven years ago are regulations about demolishing or removing buildings identified as historical resources. Over the course of several years, the township's historical commission developed a list of significant structures, but no official map was adopted.

The map that township supervisors recently approved includes 18 locations in the Jennersville area with 11 different property owners involved. Among the sites is the Red Rose Inn and the homes immediately beside it and directly across the street. Eight other locations are between Old Baltimore Pike and the Route One Bypass around the Conard-Pyle nursery.

In three cases, buildings on the map are noted as no longer existing, and property owner Maria Anzaldo told township officials that the parcel shown as hers is not her land and that her actual property is not marked as included.

"If there is any inaccuracy, we can make a revision to it," Township Solicitor Sam McMichael responded.

McMichael said anyone who believes the map is incorrect may explain their situation to the historical commission, which can recommend changes that should be made to township supervisors.

The same process will be used for anyone appealing their inclusion in the district.

Larry Waltman, a commission member who was involved in identifying the historic properties, told the supervisors he does not want his property or his parents' buildings in the district.

The Waltman parcels are of particular interest because that area could be used for future expansion of the adjoining shopping center. Prohibitions on the removal of those buildings could affect a future sale.

The audience for the hearing on the map adoption expressed a range of concerns. They asked about the long delay between the adoption of the ordinance and the map, why it the map covers only Jennersville instead of the entire township and how the historic properties were selected.

The criteria for selection goes back to work done with the Chester County Historical Commission to note every building more than 50 years old.

"It should be 100 years old; 1900 would be a good cut-off date of what's historical," Waltman said.

In spite of public requests to delay adoption until the map could be reviewed for corrections, it was approved by the supervisors and becomes effective today, July 25.

The 10-member historical commission has not met recently but will be convened when needed for the appeals process, officials say.
 

S.A.V.E. becomes a designated 1% For The Planet organization!

posted Fri, Jul 1, 2011

1% For The Planet is about businesses recognizing that industry and ecology are inherently connected. It’s about realizing the positive effects of connecting businesses, consumers and nonprofits through philanthropy. And it’s about understanding that the true cost of doing business can be mitigated by a simple pledge to the planet.  Since 2002, 1% for the Planet has inspired members of the business community to contribute 1% of sales to environmental groups around the world. In return, this growing alliance of companies is given the opportunity not only to see their self-worth rise, but their net worth climb as well.  Now that S.A.V.E. is a designated and approved organization, business members of 1% For The Planet can direct gifts to S.A.V.E. to fulfill their annual pledgeabout businesses recognizing that industry and ecology are inherently connected. It’s about realizing the positive effects of connecting businesses, consumers and nonprofits through philanthropy. And it’s about understanding that the true cost of doing business can be mitigated by a simple pledge to the planet.
 

 

 

 

 

Since 2002, 1% for the Planet has inspired members of the business community to contribute 1% of sales to environmental groups around the world. In return, this growing alliance of companies is given the opportunity not only to see their self-worth rise, but their net worth climb as well. 

about businesses recognizing that industry and ecology are inherently connected. It’s about realizing the positive effects of connecting businesses, consumers and nonprofits through philanthropy. And it’s about understanding that the true cost of doing business can be mitigated by a simple pledge to the planet.
 

Since 2002, 1% for the Planet has inspired members of the business community to contribute 1% of sales to environmental groups around the world. In return, this growing alliance of companies is given the opportunity not only to see their self-worth rise, but their net worth climb as well. 

 .  .    

S.A.V.E. Launches Endowment Fund at the CCCF

posted Tue, Jun 28, 2011

In late 2010, S.A.V.E. established an endowment fund at the Chester County Community Foundation to beging building a sound footing for the organization's future and to offer supporters another avenue in which to support the organization.  Endowment gifts are held in perpetuity and invested by the CCCF for S.A.V.E. and no more than 5% can be drawn each year by S.A.V.E.  For now, though, S.A.V.E. is leaving the fund to grow without drawing any annual income. 

The new fund is a terrific way to support the work of S.A.V.E. with confidence that your gift will leave a lasting legacy to carry on the mission and goals of protecting the region's natural and historic resources.  Gifts can be made to the endowment through a variety of mechanisms, including outright donations of cash or secuties, or a "planned gift" through a simple sentence in your will designating a gift to the fund, or through more complex methods estate planning methods.  For more information, contact S.A.V.E. or the CCCF.

Supervisors hope condemnation will save historic inn

posted Sun, Jun 19, 2011

Opinion
Daily Local News

We don't know if anyone is planning it, but we think that the current owners of the historic Red Rose Inn in Jennersville might want to bring a single red rose to the Board of Supervisors of Penn on June 24, as a sign of their faith that the supervisors will do their best to see that the inn is saved and the owners compensated.

The supervisors last week voted to condemn the property at the intersection of Baltimore Pike and Route 796 in order to take it by eminent domain. To actually take ownership of the property, the supervisors will have to vote again to have their solicitor file the proper paperwork, and the owners will have to be compensated for the fair value of the site.

The inn is built on property that was given to William Penn by the king of England, and the tradition was that a single red rose was paid as rent on the property when the inn opened in the 18th century. Seems like a fair enough trade for the owners to get what they want and have the township begin efforts to save the building.

Should the township continue with the process and take possession of the property, the resolution details that the inn could potentially be renovated for offices, tourist information or some unspecified municipal use.

The inn has been standing empty for months, with rumors swirling of sheriff's sales, auctions and demolition.

"This is an historic structure that is important to the township. The bottom line is we don't want to lose that structure," Supervisor Curtis Mason said. "We also have an intersection that is at times impassable."

Supervisor William Finnen pointed out the importance of the Red Rose Inn as a piece of history and how it fits in with the township's comprehensive plan.

"Now we can really go about creating that historic district," he said. "As a supervisor, myself I would like to see the Red Rose Inn as its cornerstone. The path we're taking now, we can develop it into a public use."

The board repeatedly stressed that this resolution does not complete any taking of the property.

"This is a resolution that is not going to condemn anything unless we follow it through," Mason said.

"The key to remember is it is a resolution to move forward. We did not take anything," Supervisor Victor Mantegna said.

We can only hope that the best minds will proceed and that the efforts to save the building will be successful.
 

Supervisors eye condemnation of Red Rose Inn

posted Fri, Jun 17, 2011

By MARCELLA PEYRE-FERRY, Special to the Daily Local News

PENN — The historic Red Rose Inn in Jennersville could be saved by being condemned.

During their June 15 meeting, the Penn supervisors unanimously approved a resolution to condemn the property at the intersection of Baltimore Pike and Route 796 in order to take it by eminent domain. To actually take ownership of the property, the supervisors will have to vote again to have their solicitor file the proper paperwork, and the owners will have to be compensated for the fair value of the site.

Should the township continue with the process and take possession of the property, the resolution details that the inn could potentially be renovated for offices, tourist information and/or municipal use. It also refers to the congestion at the intersection that needs to be alleviated.

The inn has been standing empty for months, with rumors swirling of sheriff's sales, auctions and demolition. "This is an historic structure that is important to the township. The bottom line is we don't want to lose that structure," Supervisor Curtis Mason said. "We also have an intersection that is at times impassable."

Supervisor William Finnen pointed out the importance of the Red Rose as a piece of history and how it fits in the township's comprehensive plan. "Now we can really go about creating that historic district," he said. "As a supervisor, myself I would like to see the Red Rose Inn as its cornerstone. The path we're taking now, we can develop it into a public use."

The board repeatedly stressed that this resolution does not complete any taking of the property. "This is a resolution that is not going to condemn anything unless we follow it through," Mason said.

"The key to remember is it is a resolution to move forward. We did not take anything," Supervisor Victor Mantegna said.

On the opposite side of the Route 1 bypass, the board granted a conditional use to the Jennersville Medical Building so that the site can be served by public water. Prior to this time, the township has limited the use of public water to the south side of Route 1.

Conditions added to the approval by the supervisors require that when the developers install the 12-inch water line to serve the property, it will be run in the right of way down Woodview Road to the entrance driveway. They will also be required to install fire hydrants as the fire department directs, and pay for those hydrants indefinitely.

The developers are also requesting waivers for smaller parking spaces than the ordinances allow, and a total area of 100,000 square feet, exceeding the limit of 90,000 square feet.
 

Bridge backers send a message

posted Sat, May 21, 2011

By Wm. Shawn Weigel, Staff Writer

Fatal accident on Route 41

posted Fri, May 6, 2011

Avon Grove Sun

By Police reports

Four injured in Route 41 crash

posted Sat, Apr 23, 2011

Lancaster Sunday News

By JON RUTTER and DAVID O'CONNOR

A head-on collision on Route 41 south of Gap on Saturday night injured four people, two seriously, fire officials said.

Officials at the scene said two vehicles, a Pontiac GTO and a four-door Honda Accord, collided at 7:43 p.m. along the roadway in Sadsbury Township, eastern Lancaster County.

None of the injuries were considered life-threatening, Gap Assistant Fire Chief Kevin Beiler said at the scene.

The injured were taken to Lancaster General Hospital, but there were no names or conditions available Saturday night.

The accident happened roughly a half-mile south of Gap, Beiler estimated, and Route 41 was closed from Strasburg Road southward to Newport Pike for more than an hour after the crash.

Route 41, a heavily-traveled road, re-opened to traffic shortly after 9 p.m.

Some 50 firefighters and other emergency personnel from Gap, Christiana, Gordonville, White Horse, Parkesburg and other communities responded to the scene.

Pennsylvania State Police are investigating the accident.

Rescue crews were forced to tear the roof off the GTO and also take its doors off to rescue those inside.

Crews also had to take the doors off the Honda to get its occupants out.

Read more here

 

Neighbors celebrate bridge’s rededication

posted Sun, Mar 13, 2011

Daily Local

By GABRIEL KATZ, Staff Writer

EAST BRADFORD —Chester County citizens and officials gathered Saturday afternoon to rededicate and celebrate the soon-to-reopen historic Copes Bridge over the Brandywine Creek.

The bridge will reopen by the end of the month. On Monday, a final inspection is scheduled. Line painting of the road and installation of guard rails are yet to be done. But participants in Saturday's ribbon-cutting witnessed three vintage vehicles — and two horses — cross the bridge while they stood against the bridge walls.

The rehabilitation of the bridge over the east branch of the Brandywine began in January 2010.

"It was in pretty poor shape," said Pennsylvania Department of Transportation spokesman Eugene Blaum before the ceremony. "This wasn't easy, but we worked very closely with the township to make sure it was truly a restoration project and that everyone would be happy."

The bridge, which was determined by engineers to be structurally deficient in accordance with legal load limits, underwent more than $3 million in renovations to strengthen its load capacity and add safety for motorists.

The project was a collaboration among PennDOT, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, East Bradford and the township's historical commission.

Craig Campbell of Johnson, Mirmiran and Thompson is the engineering project manager for the bridge restoration, and he explained that a reinforced concrete core and saddle arch were two of the pieces that the team of workers had to fit together as part of the greater puzzle.

"It was difficult to come up with a design to add strength but maintain the historical integrity of the bridge," Campbell said. "We wanted to make sure it was designed just like the original builders intended, and that meant replacing everything carefully, even down to the stones, in order to do that."

Indeed, the width of the road and many other dimensions will remain the same, according to Mary Sue Boyle, chairwoman of the East Bradford Township Historical Commission.

"It was built back exactly to the inch of the original standards, and we are very excited about the finished product," said Boyle.

And how long do the rebuilders hope this new construction will last?

"Centuries," Boyle said.

Campbell reiterated that projects such as this are often done with 50- to 100-year lives in mind.

State Sen. Andrew Dinniman, D-19th of West Whoteland, who visited the bridge in support of the ceremony and to help cut the inaugural ribbon, spoke about the bridge's historical importance.

"We should reaffirm our commitment that we are not going to allow Chester County to look like every other suburban place," he said to a round of applause. "We need to reaffirm our commitment and understanding… that we stand for open spaces and historic places. Today we have preserved our past, and today we have maintained that special sense of place — that soul, that essence of what Chester County is all about."

To contact staff writer Gabriel Katz, send an e-mail to gkatz@dailylocal.com.

Staff photo by Jim Callahan Participants in a rededication ceremony cross the Copes Bridge on Saturday in East Bradford.

Staff photo by Jim Callahan Dr. Mary-Anne Ost of Waltz Road in West Bradford walks horses Bailey's Dundee and Chip N Zip across the Copes Bridge on Saturday in East Bradford.

 

Staff photo by Jim Callahan Dr. Mary-Anne Ost of Waltz Road in West Bradford walks horses Bailey's Dundee and Chip N Zip across the Copes Bridge on Saturday in East Bradford.

 

Chandler Mill Road Bridge celebrates its centennial

posted Wed, Dec 15, 2010

Daily Local

By Wm. Shawn Weigel

Congratulations, Chandler Mill Road Bridge – you’ve made it to 100.

And while there was no letter from President Obama commemorating that milestone, there were a few dozen residents who braved chilly rain and muddy fields to make the day special.

Last Sunday the Land Conservancy of Southern Chester County held a ceremony at the bridge, located in Kennett Township, to commemorate both its 100th “birthday” and to celebrate the work that went into getting the bridge on the official historic registry.

Executive director Gwen Lacy said that the one-lane bridge represents an aspect of a way of life that the Conservancy – and many area residents – is trying to preserve.

“It’s a certain quality of life – of stopping, waving for someone to come through while you wait on the bridge,” she said.

Constructed in 1910, the steel plate and girder bridge with hand-laid stone wingwalls was designed by Nathan Rambo, a turn-of-the-century designer who helped create 82 bridges throughout Chester County as county engineer.

According to Lacy, the bridge threatened with extinction several years ago, when Kennett Township announced plans to completely replace the bridge with a more contemporary one that, they said, was a safer two-lane design.

Historic preservation specialist Jane Dorchester, who helped get the bridge on the National Registry of Historic Places, said the process took two years, including a battle with the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission to keep it from being de-listed.

The hand-laid stone wing walls, she added, are a signature of Rambo’s designs and give them a unique character.

“If you’re in Chester County and you see stone wing walls, in all likelihood you’re looking at a Rambo bridge,” she said.

 

(Photo by Wm. Shawn Weigel): Tom Brokaw and William Ryan put the official Chandler Mill Road Bridge historic marker in place in commemoration of the bridge's 100th "birthday" last Sunday afternoon.

Dee Durham, executive director of SAVE, said that saving the bridge is compatible with their mission, which is to confront traffic and conservancy issues along the Route 41 corridor.

“We’ve also been trying to use this bridge as almost a case study to help change some of the policies that PennDOT uses, and the county uses, to change the policy overall so that other bridges can be saved,” she said. “I think a lot of people look at these bridges as a common bridge type, they don’t see it as a unique resource … it was an uphill battle.”

At the conclusion of the ceremony, an official sign was put place, giving a brief history of the bridge and its creator Rambo.

According to Lacy, the bridge and the adjacent Bucktoe Creek Preserve, represents over $5 million in public and private funding used towards preservation.

(Photo by Wm. Shawn Weigel): Tom Brokaw and William Ryan put the official Chandler Mill Road Bridge historic marker in place in commemoration of the bridge's 100th "birthday" last Sunday afternoon.

Red Rose Inn supporters ponder options

posted Sun, Dec 5, 2010

By Chris Barber, Daily Local News

LONDON GROVE — A group of folks concerned about the fate of the Red Rose Inn at Jennersville put their heads together over pancakes and scrambled eggs Saturday morning at the Perkins restaurant.

The meeting had been called by Tracy Culgan, a longtime Penn resident who has attended affairs and had meals through the years at the now-abandoned landmark. Fearing that the building at the intersection of Route 796 and Old Baltimore Pike will fall victim to demolition, she called the gathering in hopes of brain storming and finding a starting point to save what many say is a valuable piece of Chester County history.

About 40 people showed up, many of them holding diverse concepts of the outcome for the Red Rose. On one thing most agreed, however: They didn't want to see the building, whose roots go back to William Penn and the historic days of colonial America, demolished.

Culgan at first announced that she was open to ideas of usage, including a ghost-themed inn, a restaurant, a hotel or a dinner theater. She later clarified and said she would like to see it remain as an inn and a historical place in Jennersville.

Much of the discussion centered on having the building placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Mary Sue Boyle, a certified national register consultant, spoke at length advocating that a committee be formed to pursue the designation for the inn. She said that the inn, being older than 50 years old, is entitled in its entirety to apply, even if there have been changes and alterations to the building through the years.

Penn Township Supervisor Victor Victor Mantegna, said the board and its historic commission had looked into the process. They even applied for Jennersville to be named a historic district, but were told the integrity of the area as a whole did not qualify. He suggested turning the process over to the township manager, scheduling meetings of a core group at the township building and checking on the work that has been done by solicitor Sam McMichael.

Likewise, Charlie Humkey of New London agreed that a small group of people should meet to form a strategy. "We need people who have expertise. Maybe four or five people could prepare a game plan," he said.

When the question was raised about the ultimate goal of the preservation effort, Patricia Horrocks of Cochranville said the building need not be limited to a restaurant or inn.

"It could be turned into something useful. You have to think beyond food," she said.

The question of costs came up but did not persist. Culgan said "the bank" owns the inn -- which has been foreclosed on -- but she was not sure which bank it was. She also said she heard the asking price was $2.5 million, but was unsure of the figure.

Lawrence Waltman, a longtime Jennersville resident and owner-manager of the famous old Sunset Park, said the inn can be saved. "You need somebody with money. You need somebody who knows how to run it. And you need the service clubs to get back meeting in there," he said.

At the end of the meeting, Culgan collected the name, addresses and phone numbers of all who attended. She said she would pursue the goal of forming a dedicated core committee.

"Everybody is interested in doing something. I still want to get my committee together. It's the start of a grassroots movement to save the Red Rose Inn," she said.
 

Saving the Red Rose

posted Thu, Nov 25, 2010

By CHRIS BARBER, Special to the Daily Local News

PENN — Tracy Culgan has lived in Chester County for 24 years, and in that time has become a fan of the historic old Red Rose Inn on Old Baltimore Pike at Route 796. She remembers going there for nice meals and special events years ago and is distressed to see it now falling into disrepair and abandonment.

Persuaded by her desire to prevent the building from falling victim to a wrecker's ball, Culgan is leading a crusade to build a movement of supporters who want to save the place.

To that end, she is hosting a meeting for all who support her at Perkins restaurant on Route 41 in Avondale on Dec. 4 at 9:30 a.m. She said the meeting will be short, and her goal is to brainstorm ideas for the preservation of the Red Rose.

Just this past weekend, she and some friends raked leaves around the inn, hoping in part to prevent anyone from being tempted to set the place afire.

But she said she wants more than just preventing the inn from coming down. She wants to get it placed on the National Register of Historic Places and brought back to being either a bed-and-breakfast or an elegant restaurant. She is also interested in forming a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose goal it is to restore the inn.

"Ever since I saw that "closed" sign go up in 2008, I've been concerned, but I didn't do anything. Now, I've got to do something about that," she said.

According to historical records, the Red Rose Inn dates back to

the days of William Penn in 1731. From its earliest years, it was traditional for the renters of the building to pay their lease of one red rose annually to William Penn or one of his descendents on the weekend after Labor Day.

One local historian said George Washington had a horse stable nearby where he would stop on his way up from Virginia to Philadelphia to get a fresh mount.

But those ceremonies have ceased, the horses don't ride by on their way to Philadelphia, and development is encroaching the land around it.

In her effort to get the restoration word out, Culgan has started a Facebook page entitled "Save the Red Rose Inn." She said it's had more than 2,000 hits and has been receiving positive feedback. "Most people say, 'Please save it,'" Culgan said.

Penn Township supervisors' Chairman Curtis Mason said some people believe the township is opposed to preserving the inn, but the opposite is true. "The township will cooperate with anyone who wants to save the Red Rose Inn," he said, adding that it's probably one of the most historic buildings in Pennsylvania.

The fact is the township supervisors have gone to some lengths to pursue its restoration including seeking to put it on the Historic Register. The trouble is, Mason said, it has been altered so many times, it does not qualify. In addition, he pointed out that the original and historic part of the building is the small shack-like area on the western side.

The grand, country manor-appearing structure was added more recently, even though it conveys the mood of a historic old dwelling.

Mason also cited the significant debt associated with the inn and the hesitancy any buyer would have in jumping into a restaurant venture. He said if the building were to land on the Historic Register, anyone with any aspirations of redesigning would have severe limitations.

"It goes down to numbers. There's no money. We've had people look at it. In order to make money they have to put 20 pounds of potatoes in a five-pound bag. … It used to be families would (work a restaurant), but now the kids don't want to," he said.

He said he would like to see the building have the sides lopped off and the facade preserved. Then build a modern addition on the back that would meet codes for cooking and hosting guests. If that were to take place, people would enter with the feeling of an old inn, but would enjoy the modern amenities they are seeking in fine dining.

Still, he has his concerns. "The failure of restaurants is high. Banks don't want to touch them," he said.
 

PA fighting Chesco bridge’s national historic status

posted Mon, May 3, 2010

Philadelphia Inquirer, By Kathleen Brady Shea, Staff Writer

Only the setting of a 99-year-old one-lane bridge exudes serenity as a spirited fracas over its future moves from Chester County to Harrisburg to Washington.

The dispute, which began after the county announced plans in 2005 to demolish Chandler Mill Bridge in Kennett Township, is now centered in the nation's capital, where Pennsylvania is challenging the span's inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places — a designation announced in January and opposed by state officials.

In selecting the bridge for the register, federal officials cited its historic significance in local transportation and engineering. The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, with input from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, countered that the bridge was common and insignificant.

"The federal government slapped them in the face," said Stephen Fromnick, director of Chester County's Department of Facilities Management.

He questioned how the designation occurred "against all logic" and the state's expertise, and he cautioned that it could open the door to similar, undeserved listings.

Fromnick said Chester County, which owns the bridge and has been unable to give it away, has safety concerns about the one-way span's two-way traffic, deteriorating condition, and eight-ton weight limit. It plans to replace it.

But area residents and preservationists say the stone and steel structure, which crosses the gently gurgling West Branch of the Red Clay Creek, deserves to be treated similarly to the 400 acres of land that surround it, which are protected from development.

"We have a study that shows rehab is possible," said Dee Durham, executive director of Safety, Agriculture, Villages and Environment Inc. (SAVE), one of the groups working to save the bridge. "We honestly believe there's a compromise and a solution that will make everyone happy, but [the county and PennDot] aren't willing to entertain that discussion."

Patrick Andrus, a historian with the National Register, said a petition to remove the bridge from the list was submitted by the Museum Commission at the end of March, accompanied by "hundreds of pages" of documentation.

Andrus described the request as unusual, since it occurred so quickly after the listing. However, he said a review was warranted whenever someone presented information that was not available during the initial analysis.

"We're always open to considering new information," he said. "In their opinion, this documentation demonstrates that the bridge does not meet the criteria."

The state's position angered Jane E. Dorchester, a historic preservation consultant who submitted the nomination for the Chandler Mill Bridge Consortium.

Dorchester pointed out that the Museum Commission experienced budget cuts so severe last fall that sites it once monitored, such as the Brandywine Battlefield, are now staffed by volunteers.

"Why are they bothering to spend taxpayers' money to get it delisted?" she asked. "Is this a good use of funds?"

Carol Lee, the state National Register and survey coordinator, said the outlay of time and money was minimal, since some independent historians who disagreed with the listing offered their feedback.

"From our point of view, this is not an eligible bridge," she said, declining to comment on the escalating tensions.

Asked why the commission would challenge a designation that becomes moot when the county razes the bridge, Lee said the commission's decisions are based on documentation, not plans for the property.

The county has 17 or 18 similar "through-truss" bridges, Fromnick said. The historic listing "with no justification" sets a dangerous precedent that would burden other projects across the state with unnecessary delays and costs, he said.

He said he believed preservationists planned to use the designation to exert public pressure in a futile effort to save the bridge. As a result, he said, groups such as the consortium and SAVE are the ones wasting taxpayer dollars.

Placement on the National Register means that the county will have to spend about $75,000 on hearings that will cause an eight-month delay — but no change — in the $1.5 million, two-lane replacement, Fromnick said.

Durham agreed that advocacy groups were using the National Register to try to save the bridge, but she said the county forced their hand by refusing to involve the public in the process.

"Assuming the bridge stays on the Register . . . the law requires them to take a step back and reexamine their position," she said. "For them to say the bridge is coming down no matter what, they've already reached their conclusion and the process is a sham."

Durham said the county's support of the state delisting effort is another example of its resistance to public comment.

"You save money and expedite projects" by working together, Durham said.

Andrus said the National Register must respond to the removal request within 45 days, which enables people to submit comments. He said a decision would occur by or before May 15.

In the meantime, drivers on winding Chandler Mill Road sometimes wait for oncoming traffic before entering the bridge.

Fromnick said when he visited the site, he had to put his vehicle into reverse because a car was coming in the opposite direction.

"This is 2010, and I'm backing up on a bridge," he said. "I'm sorry, I just don't get it."

Contact staff writer Kathleen Brady Shea at 610-696-3815 or kbrady@phillynews.com.

Bridge slated for demolition OK’d for national register

posted Tue, Jan 19, 2010

Daily Local News

KENNETT — Officials informed Chandler Mill Bridge Preservation Consortium members on Jan. 11 that the Chandler Mill Bridge was approved for the National Register of Historic Places.

This designation by the National Park Service will require Chester County to undertake stricter review and public consultation when determining the bridge's fate.

For years, township officials, residents, and local conservation, planning and historic organizations have protested the proposed demolition of the quaint, one-lane bridge, the oldest span in the township.

Despite these appeals, and favorable concessions by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration, the primary funders and regulatory agencies, Chester County officials want to replace it with a two-lane bridge.

The Chandler Mill Bridge Consortium members have worked since 2006 to save the bridge by trying to persuade township and county officials to recognize the historic and cultural significance of this original steel-plate girder bridge, circa 1910.

The county vowed to make a good-faith effort to save the bridge but disregarded the consortium's engineering report verifying the viability of a bridge rehabilitation that would keep the one-lane bridge dimensions and its current aesthetics, the consortium says.

The bridge lies within the Red Clay Creek Historic Conservation Corridor, which encompasses about 500 acres preserved for passive recreation.

To date, $5 million in state, county, township, and private funding has been expended to purchase this land, create walking trails and preserve historic sites near the Chandler Mill Bridge.

The national recognition from the highest authority charged with preserving the nation's cultural, historic and scenic resources is vital to retaining the rural character of the community, local officials say.  

Chesco bridge added to National Register

posted Thu, Jan 14, 2010

Philadelphia Inquirer, By Kathleen Brady Shea, Staff Writer

A Chester County bridge that has failed to span the divide between those pushing preservation and those urging demolition has a new distinction: placement on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Chandler Mill Bridge, a 99-year-old stone-and-steel structure in Kennett Township, was listed on Monday, said Paloma Bolasny, a historian with the National Register.

Fittingly for a bridge with a recent history of conflict, officials called the designation "unusual." Federal historians approved it, rejecting the state's recommendation against it, Bolasny said, adding that such disagreement was not unprecedented.

On the registration form, federal officials noted the bridge's "high integrity" and "local significance as evaluated with the historic context of transportation in Kennett Township and bridge engineering in Chester County."

Kirk Wilson, a spokesman for the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, said the state's decision to reject the nomination was based on input from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

Monica Harrower, a PennDot architectural historian, said state officials concluded that the bridge was one of thousands of similar structures in Pennsylvania.

"It's a common bridge," she said, adding that it was not "technically significant."

Regardless of the assessment, the designation does not guarantee that the bridge, a one-lane structure over the West Branch of the Red Clay Creek, will be spared the wrecking ball.

Stephen Fromnick, director of Chester County's Department of Facilities Management, said months ago that county engineers had deemed the bridge unsafe and unsalvageable regardless of whether it was historic.

But Dee Durham, executive director of Safety, Agriculture, Villages and Environment Inc., one of several bridge-advocacy groups, was delighted by the news.

"It's not a panacea, but I think it's huge," Durham said. "It verifies what the community has been saying for four years."

Durham said she hoped the historic designation would give officials reason to pause before taking further action.  

Route 41 hits a political roadblock

posted Thu, Dec 17, 2009

The Daily Local

These comments are in response to the article, "Input needed on Route 41 improvements," (DLN, Dec. 11). The information provided from PennDOT at the recent public meeting on this project apparently provided only a couple of minor, new fragments of news. A Phase I Preliminary Alternatives Analysis prepared for PennDOT by KCI Technologies and dated May 1999, noted that this highway "is considered a rural route" and "safety, infrastructure and capacity are the needs identified" throughout this project area (KCI analysis, Page A1).

The 1999 KCI report also noted "that more accidents occur in the segments within the study corridor than within the state, as a whole, for similar roadways" (KCI analysis, Page A5). Apparently, according to PennDOT, Route 41 is now considered an urban highway, has twice as many fatal crashes as other roads in the same category, and funding for this project may still not be available even in 2015.

Route 41 is a symbol of so much that is wrong with our government right now. I believe that this highway remains a constant problem due to an incredible lack of leadership and energy on the part of our elected officials from Pennsylvania on the state and federal levels. I feel that responsibility for the death and destruction experienced on this road rests squarely upon them and PennDOT.

Tens of millions of taxpayer dollars have been spent on this project in the last 10 to 15 years and we basically have the same unsafe conditions that have been the story of this route for around 60 years. Safety and Mobility Initiative (SAMI) programs and studies and meetings have all added up to nothing.

Our politicians seem skilled only at the politics of divisiveness and maintaining the status quo through a wasteful appearance of effort. From health care and insurance reform to safe roads and state budgets to the conduct of the war on terrorism, we seem to be at the mercy of so many politicians who have little or no interest in serving their constituents by improving the human condition.

Getting Route 41 fixed, among other things, may require changes in leadership more than anything else. And, though the environment is a concern for us all, Route 41 remaining an unsafe road has done nothing to stem the development that continues to spread in southern Chester County. In this area, zoning and the economy have more of an effect on controlling sprawl than roadways.

For those of us who call this region home, we need to insist that Route 41 be the roadway that our area needs and respectfully decide how to accomplish that now in order to address this clear and present danger.

Jim DiLuzio
Landenberg
 

Gap woman killed in buggy crash

posted Mon, Jun 29, 2009

The Daily Local

One person is dead following a crash involving a horse-drawn buggy in the 900 block of Gap-Newport Pike (Route 41) in West Fallowfield on Sunday morning.   Police said all of the buggy's occupants were thrown the vehicle during the crash, including the driver, Rueben B. Glick, 29, of Gap, and 9-month-old J. Elmer Glick.Police say Roberta Glick, of Gap, was a passenger in the buggy when it was struck by a Mitsubishi Eclipse driven by Robert P. Stanton, 19, of Atglen.  The baby was transported by ambulance to Dupont Hospital in Delaware and relased on Sunday.  Stanton was taken to Lancaster General Hospital, treated from minor injuries and released.Rueben Glick was transported by helicopter to Lancaster General Hospital with serious head injuries, police said,  The horse drawing the buggy also sustained fatal injuries in the crash.    The   The The accident is still under investigation by state police.

Police probe pedestrian’s fatal accident

posted Sat, Dec 6, 2008

Daily Local

LONDON GROVE — State police continue to investigate a traffic accident that took the life of a 67-year-old man.

Donald Yeager of Avondale was hit by a car Thursday evening while attempting to cross Route 41 while carrying groceries. The accident happened about 5 p.m. just south of Baltimore Pike.

Police said Richard R. Wilson, 81, of Millville, was driving south on Route 41 when Yeager was attempting to cross Route 41 from the northbound to the southbound side.

Yeager was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Wilson and his female passenger were uninjured.

State Trooper Corey Monthei said Friday a preliminary investigation indicated neither speed nor drunken driving were factors in the crash, and no charges have been filed.

"The accident investigation is ongoing, but all indicators are that it appears to be a very tragic accident," Monthei said.

Monthei said the spot where Yeager attempted to cross lacks a crosswalk and it was not at an intersection.

Crash kills pedestrian

posted Fri, Dec 5, 2008

Daily Local

A pedestrian was struck and killed on Route 41 just south of Baltimore Pike in London Grove on Thursday at about 5 p.m.

A vehicle was traveling southbound on Route 41 when it struck Donald Yeager, 67, of Avondale, who was attempting to cross the road, police said.

Route 41 was closed in both directions for about 2 hours while state troopers from the Avondale barracks investigated the incident.

Fire police from multiple surrounding municipalities were called to assist with traffic control after the rush hour crash. 

Woman charged for crash that killed trooper

posted Tue, Apr 22, 2008

Daily Local

By JENNIFER MILLER

AVONDALE -The woman accused of taking the life of a rookie state trooper surrendered to state police Tuesday and is now in Chester County Prison.

Kristina M. Quercetti, 40, of Landenberg, is accused of homicide by vehicle while under the influence, aggravated assault, endangering a child and a slew of other charges following a March 27 car accident that caused fatal injuries to 24-year-old Avondale Trooper Kenton E. Iwaniec.

Quercetti appeared in the Avondale district court where she chose to not post bail and instead go to prison immediately. After the arraignment, which Quercetti sobbed through, she told a group of reporters she was sorry for her actions.

In a criminal complaint, police said Quercetti’s blood alcohol content was highly over the legal limit and at the time of the crash she was driving roughly 70 mph with her headlights off.

The crash occurred on March 27 about 10:15 p.m. on Route 41 near Mosquito Lane in London Grove. Iwaniec died the following day in surgery, police said.

Quercetti was treated for minor injuries to her foot. Quercetti’s 5-year-old son was in the back seat of her car during the crash but was uninjured.

A third vehicle involved in the crash was driven by Larry Keith, 64, of Ephrata.

Keith was uninjured and drove his car from the crash, records say.

Iwaniec’s funeral was April 4 at St. Vincent Basilica Parish in Unity, roughly 40 miles southeast of Pittsburgh.

About 160 state troopers attended the services with hundreds of family members and friends.

To contact staff writer Jennifer Miller, send an e-mail to jmiller@dailylocal.com. 

Land trust hopes to save bridge

posted Wed, Feb 13, 2008

The Kennett Paper, By Prue Osborn

Only two single lane plate girder bridges remain in Chester County. They are reminiscent of old railway bridges with hand–laid stone wing walls. One of them, Kennett Township's 98–year–old Chandler Mill Bridge, is marked for replacement, and 123 neighbors have signed a petition to save it.A consortium made up of residents of Chandler Mill and Bucktoe roads, Bucktoe Creek Preserve, Red Clay Valley Association, Kennett Township Historic Commission, Delaware Nature Society, Kennett Township Land Trust and SAVE has formed to push for rehabilitating the bridge rather than removing it and replacing it with a two–lane concrete bridge.

Property owner Tom Brokaw said Chester County marked the Chandler Mill Bridge for replacement 30 years ago and stopped maintaining it. It has rusted and deteriorated. With funds from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation the county is gearing up to replace it with a two–lane concrete structure.

The stretch of road between the bridge at the south end and Hillendale Road at the north end is part of the Red Clay Creek Conservation Corridor. Most properties along the corridor are either under conservation easement, to protect them from future development, or are in the process of becoming eased. Gwen Lacy, executive director of the KTLT, said the bridge is a "key component."

The nearly 300–acre, privately owned Bucktoe Creek Preserve is used for Delaware Nature Society programs and camps. The University of Delaware and other schools also use the site. A walking trail has been developed and trees planted between the creek and the road along the 1840 Chandler Mill millrace. There are plans to open it the public in the near future. The KTLT hopes eventually to connect it to trail extensions leading to the Borough of Kennett Square.

William Ryan, director of BCP, said the area is being proposed as a historic district because remains still exist of the Chandler's Mill dam and millrace, as well as historic standing structures and a National Historic Register site. Also within the preserve are the ruins of an early African–American settlement, including the African Union Cemetery, a church and several ruins assumed to have been dwellings of freed slaves.

Although it is nearly 100 years old, the bridge did not make it on the 1980 historic bridge inventory. It is the small version of the two–lane bridge one–and–a–half miles upstream on Hillendale Road and an exact replica of the already–rehabilitated Runnymede Bridge.

Brokaw said when it was built it was thought of as high tech, modeled after the railroad bridges of the time. "If we an get past this challenge and it can survive, 50 years from now it will be revered like a covered bridge. It's quaint and picturesque and has historical significance."

Kennett Township supervisor Mike Elling said Penn DOT has offered two replacement alternatives: a two–lane standard design bridge or a one–way, one–lane bridge, which would cut down on traffic significantly.

"The township should see the bridge and this historical corridor as an asset versus a liability. As the bridge passes the 100–year mark it will stand out as an accomplishment for the township, a model for what can be done in other parts of the township in similar areas where there are historical features and natural areas combined. The collaboration between the township and the residents would set a precedent for future preservation projects," Ryan said.

"Saving the bridge," Lacy said,"takes guts and economic forethought — the ability to reconcile the past while embracing the future of the township."

Elling said while he and the other supervisors have sympathy for the consortium's cause, it would be cost prohibitive for the township to buy back the bridge.

Chester County estimates the cost of replacing the bridge will be approximately $1.5 million.

The consortium hired Lichtenstein Consulting Engineers to prepare a rehabilitation and maintenance report on the bridge that supports its proposal to Kennett Township, Chester County and Penn DOT that the bridge be rehabilitated rather than replaced. The Lichtenstein report estimates the cost of rehabilitating the current bridge would be $289, 260 with $4, 500 maintenance per year.

Members of the consortium have suggested an endowment fund, with monies raised by the community, to cover the costs of the bridge now and into the future.

Brokaw said if rehabilitation is not feasible, he is all in favor of Penn Dot replacing the bridge with a one–way, one–lane bridge, if it preserves the aesthetics of the original bridge.

Chester County director of facilities management Steve Fromnick explained in an e–mail that the decision on the bridge is expected this week. He said rehabilitation of the bridge,"is a short–term solution, inadequate and it will only delay the inevitable for this bridge."

Ryan said the township and its residents should go to bat for this bridge and its environs. "Ask the newer residents of this township,'Why did you move to this township? Was it because you liked the rural character or because you wanted a lot of traffic?' It is important for township residents to speak up in defense of something they care about."

To contact Prue Osborn, email prueosborn@aol.com.  

PennDOT’s Route 41 plan draws mixed reactions from committee

posted Wed, Sep 6, 2006

Daily Local

By ANNE PICKERING

Some members complained about anti-development sentiment and nearly everyone agreed that capacity issues would be a problem in the not-too-distant future.

"The first meeting we had, we were told we had a six-month window to agree on some things and we should try to put our differences aside," said Rob Powelson, president of the Chester County Chamber of Business and Industry. "Some things we agreed on. We were supporting the bypass (in Avondale)."

But as time went on, Powelson said he thought the whole process became politically motivated and a group that was purely anti-development dominated the discussion.

"The intentions were good, but the whole process was cumbersome. I don’t think we have addressed the capacity issues," Powelson said.

The executive committee was formed by PennDOT in the spring of 2005 and included about 25 stakeholders, including representatives of the municipalities surrounding Route 41, local community groups, members of the mushroom and trucking industries, and state representatives. PennDOT has been studying the 9½-mile corridor from Route 926 to the Delaware state line since 1993.

At the last meeting of the executive committee on Aug. 23, PennDOT officials said they would focus on safety issues because there was no consensus on bypasses around Avondale and Chatham.

The highway department said it and its consultants had worked for months with Avondale to try to find a location for a bypass around the busy downtown area that would impact the least number of residents, but it was unsuccessful.

Avondale supported a bypass along the borough’s border and London Grove’s border. PennDOT is now reviewing accident data to determine where safety improvements such as turning lanes, traffic-calming devices and perhaps roundabouts could be built.

Jim Runk, president of the PA Motor Truck Association, a trade association for the trucking industry and a member of the executive committee, said he wasn’t dissatisfied with the way the executive committee worked.

The one thing the trucking industry is concerned about is roundabouts, he said. While they might work for automobiles, they are difficult for an 80,000-pound truck, he said.

Trucks have to wait for a chance to get around the circle and need a larger turning radius. Plus, cars try to beat trucks going around the circle, creating a hazard, Runk said. But he supported traffic-calming devices such as islands, particularly in Chatham, but not through the whole route.

Jerry Yeatman, of C.P. Yeatman & Sons, a fourth-generation mushroom grower, represented the mushroom and agriculture industry on the executive committee. He said he was very disappointed that the members couldn’t come up with a compromise that would allow a bypass.

Yeatman said the London Grove supervisors and the Avondale Borough Council shared equal blame because they couldn’t agree on where the bypass should go. As far as roundabouts go, "if a PennDOT engineer will tell me it will work for Route 41, then I’m for it," Yeatman said.

Tom Houghton, chairman of the London Grove Board of Supervisors and candidate for state representative in the 13th District, represented the township on the executive committee.

Houghton said he supported an Avondale bypass and was willing to allow 60 to 70 percent of a bypass proposed by PennDOT engineers last year to be placed in the township "as a good neighbor concession to Avondale. I knew I would take heat from some London Grove residents, but I knew it was in the best interests of all to make a compromise," he said.

Frank Parchen, chairman of the Kennett safety committee and a longtime resident, represented the township on the executive committee. At the last meeting, Parchen said PennDOT presented an analysis of all the traffic accidents on Route 41 over a five-year period, plotting out the hot spots The worst hot spot was the intersection of Baltimore Pike and Route 41, but Parchen said PennDOT is addressing that intersection as a separate project.

"I’ve always worried about safety on that road. My kids and grandkids travel on it. Capacity is not as much a concern," Parchen said, although he thought PennDOT will be back in 10 years to address capacity.

He marvelled at how planners in the past were able to build the Route 1 bypass. "What would we do today if they hadn’t built the Route 1 bypass? We’d be using the old Route 1," Parchen said, adding that a lot of people on the executive committee "could not bring themselves to look at the big picture."

State Sen. Dominic Pileggi, R-9th, of Chester, who also served on the executive committee, said he was glad that PennDOT was going to address safety issues but thought it was just a matter of time before capacity issues would arise. "The lack of ability to handle capacity is a safety issue in itself," he said.

To contact staff writer Anne Pickering, send an e-mail.    

Save Our Bridge!

posted Wed, Feb 1, 2006

Main Line Today, By Bill Kent, Photographs by John Wynn

Save Our Bridge! How a small town went up against PennDot over an even smaller local monument—and won.