A proposal to sell the historic Hart property and construct 36 luxury townhomes was considered by Doylestown Township planners this week, writes Lacey Latch for the Bucks County Courier Times.
In December, commission members reviewed the controversial plans and voted to back the sale and development without issuing a formal recommendation.
The 24-acre property is owned by the Bucks County Historical Society, which decided four years ago to sell it as part of a renewed focus on the organization’s core mission of preserving Henry Mercer’s legacy, including maintaining Fonthill Castle and the Mercer Museum.
“We all came to the same conclusion that we really need to reallocate our resources to support Mercer and Fonthill,” said BCHS CEO Kyle McCoy.
The organization plans on selling the property to Zaveta Custom Homes, a local builder that would renovate the main stone house and add 36 luxury townhome units. Preservationists, however, are opposing the project and urging the township to consider public-use options.
“I really believe in the preservation of this building and the land and the flora and the fauna,” said Christopher Valeri, founder of the Buckingham Historical Society. “These trees will never be seen again.”
Read more about the Hart property in the Bucks County Courier Times.
