Lancaster County Preservation Organization Leaders Present Unified Statement of Concern: Delivered to West Lampeter Township Supervisors, Thursday, July 3, 2014 Dear Supervisors: The West Lampeter Township Supervisors will be reviewing a request, at the July 14, 2014 Supervisors Meeting, to demolish the 1734 Christian Herr II house, located at the corner of Penn Grant Road and Hans Herr Drive. The 1719 Hans Herr House & Museum, Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County, and Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society are three of the county’s largest historical organizations, representing over 5,000 members. Our combined membership is an indication of the important role that historic resources play in Lancaster County. We commend West Lampeter Township Supervisors and staff for crafting a Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Ordinance that is both mindful of the community’s past and considerate of its historical impact on future generations. The establishment of the Farmland Preservation and the Historic Preservation committees provides an extra measure of counsel to you, as supervisors, as you make decisions that are not only in the best interest of the homeowner or business, but also of the local community and of Lancaster County As representatives of the wider community, we wish to emphasize the exceptional historical significance of this early residence not only for its associations, but for its surviving architectural character, despite many changes over time. This house was built by Christian Herr II, son of the builder of the 1719 Christian (Hans) Herr house, and was built only 15 years after the oldest house in Lancaster County. By itself it is one of the earliest houses on record in Lancaster County. Within the context of surrounding structures, it is contained within the original 1710 William Penn land grant directly next to the 1719 Christian Herr house and the 1849 Willow Street Mennonite Church, and near to the 1798 Henry Shaub house, the 1835 Christian Shaub house, and the 1856 Christian Shaub house. Architectural features are similar to the neighboring 1719 Christian Herr house, with large vaulted basement, similar floor plans and other similarities of design and origin. The loss of this resource would destroy a significant piece of the county’s historical context, and set an unfortunate and irreversible precedent for the future, making the loss of other resources more likely. The precedent set by West Lampeter Township Supervisors in saving of the 1850 Harnish house on the Willow Valley campus. West Lampeter’s comprehensive plan, ordinances, and policies emphasize the contribution such resources make to local quality of life. Those same documents call on the supervisors to carefully consider the impact that their decisions will have on these resources. We maintain that this is a functional habitable home that has later additions which are of little importance and could be removed. We maintain that additions could be added to the 1734 Christian Herr II house creatively without diminishing its integrity. We believe there are feasible and exciting options for the rehabilitation of this building – and to that end, we offer our staff expertise and resources to help the family make the most of their existing house. We pledge to work with the family to provide access to the skills of architects, and contractors with a depth of experience in the rehabilitation of historic buildings, as well as other specialists. Our goal is to help the family achieve their need and desire for a safe, attractive and more energy efficient home through a well-designed and executed rehabilitation plan. We hope that this collaboration will help the family arrive at a decision to retain this historic house. With a unified voice for history and historic structures in Lancaster County, including West Lampeter Township, we emphatically urge considerations other than demolition for the 1734 Christian Herr II house. Becky Gochnauer Director 1719 Hans Herr House & Museum Joseph Patterson Executive Director Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County Rolando L. Santiago Director Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society
Posted on: Fri, 11 Jul 2014 03:54:33 +0000
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