1870 Chapel, Wayne Presbyterian Church

Monday April 23. 7:30-8:30
Wayne Presbyterian Church chapel

Please join us on Monday, April 23 at the historic 1870 chapel of the Wayne Presbyterian Church for a special public meeting about the potential designation of Downtown Wayne as a National Historic District. The meeting is being co-sponsored by the Radnor Historical Society and the Suburban Building who have been working to earn this designation for the district. If the district is listed as a National Historic District, such a designation will not restrict the uses of any property therein, but it will open up the possibility for incentives for property owners looking to rehabilitate and restore their buildings. This meeting is intended to present facts about the nomination and to answer any questions.

An example of one of our recently produced residential building markers.

The Radnor Historical Society is thrilled to announce that it is expanding its popular Historic Building Marker Program to commercial buildings. The purpose of the commercial marker program is to make the public aware of Radnor’s magnificent historic buildings, to foster pride of ownership and to help the commercial district attract visitors to the downtown area. These markers will serve to identify buildings of historical and architectural significance and to encourage the continuing care and preservation of individual buildings.

RHS has identified many buildings that would qualify for the program within the downtown area. Markers will be awarded to buildings that meet the RHS guidelines: buildings that were built in or before 1945 (unless otherwise determined by RHS), that are of particular architectural or historical significance, that contribute to the significance of the neighborhood, that are well maintained and/or that retain their character and integrity of their design.

Marker eligibility will be solely based on the building’s exterior, will not restrict paint color, will not require any additional township historical review and is completely unrelated to property taxes. This is a strictly voluntary program and is not related to township ordinances or the Historic & Architectural Review Board (HARB).

The markers will be cast bronze and will include the building’s date and when known, historical information such as, but not limited to, its name, original or significant owner/tenant, builder and architect. A typical marker’s dimensions will be 11″x7″, though the dimensions may vary if required by the building’s architecture. Applications should be initiated by the property owner who will bear the cost and maintenance of the marker.

We are currently accepting applications for markers. They will be reviewed by a committee established by the RHS that will also do building research for the plaque. Custom fabricated markers with the RHS logo will be distributed to the property owner upon the successful completion of the application, research and paid fee of $200.00 per plaque. Forms and further information are available on our marker page. Email questions to marker@radnorhistory.org. We look forward to hearing from you!

Although the 1890 Pennsylvania Railroad station at St. Davids was demolished in 1966, the station’s historic platform roof canopies that shelter waiting passengers still remain. These historic structures are standard PRR-designed canopies that are maintained by SEPTA. Despite their longevity, the canopies are showing signs of wear and deterioration.

A coalition of neighbors has been formed, including South Wayne resident Cheryl Tumola and RHS board member Greg Prichard, to coordinate with SEPTA to restore some of the station canopies’ historic elements, and to make sure they are done consistently with their history.

The restoration will include fixing woodwork, painting, and the re-creation of PRR-era red and gold keystone-shaped signs. St. Davids Station may be gone, but its historic remnants can still be preserved. For more information and to learn how to contribute, please visit www.stdavidsstation.org.

(This article appeared in the September, 2011 Radnor Historical Society Newsletter. To receive the newsletter in the mail, consider becoming a member!)

•  The Radnor Historical Society’s Finley House, 113 W. Beechtree Lane, Wayne, built 1789.

•  Thornhedge house and carriage house, 260 Chamounix Road, Wayne, built 1903, owned by Kathleen Papa.

•  142 West Wayne Avenue, Wayne, built c. 1881-1887, owners Bruce and Sandy Gilbert.

•  Isle Field, renamed Almondbury House, built 1911 in Rosemont and designed by Horace Trumbauer. It is now

the headquarters of the American Missionary Fellowship.

•  Bon Air, 425 Chestnut Lane, Wayne, built 1889-1890, owners Chris and Jill Stavrakos.

•  Nathan Matlack House, 425 Darby Paoli Road, St. Davids, built c. 1762-1783, owners Jamie and Hollie Holt.

•  124 West Wayne Avenue, Wayne, built c. 1881-1884, owned by Bruce Norcini.

•  221 Lenoir Avenue, Wayne, built c. 1921-1922, owners John and Martha Dale.

•  200 South Aberdeen Avenue, built c. 1890-1893, owners Stephen and Suzanne Shuut.

•  134 Poplar Avenue, Wayne, built c. 1904-1906, owner Amy Marren.

•  Kinterra, 706 Church Road, Villanova, built c. 1808-1814, enlarged 1994, owners William and Andrea Pilling.

Applications for markers can be found on the RHS website, www.radnorhistory.org/marker, or may be picked up at the Finley House. The cost is $200. Having a marker does not carry with it any regulations or limitations on your property but is simply a recognition of your architectural stewardship.

(This article appeared in the September, 2011 Radnor Historical Society Newsletter. To receive the newsletter in the mail, consider becoming a member!)

In June, volunteers went to Media to meet with Rachelle Green, a planner in the Delaware County Historic Preservation Office in order to learn how to research deeds for the historic markers that will soon appear on some Radnor buildings. Beverlee Barnes, manager in the Historic Preservation Office, greeted Andrea Pilling, Jim Corrodi, Sandy Gilbert, Suzanne Shuut, Pat Hartel, Jeanne Murray, Meg Tharp, Lynn Ellis and Susan Ayers.

Glass Slides

RHS board member Lynn Ellis has been labeling, indexing and archiving hundreds of glass photographic negatives from about 1870-on, containing many Radnor landmarks that are no longer there. The McKnight, Wendell and Heilner collections have been archived, as well as a collection from Capt. John W. Morrison, who lived at 425 Chestnut Lane. Morrison served in the Union Army during the Civil War and was later Treasurer of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Radnor Baptist Church Cemetery Cleanup

RHS has taken the lead to clean up and maintain the cemetery, which once was connected to the Baptist church established in 1842 at the corner of Conestoga Road and West Wayne Avenue as a result of a schism over abolition at the Baptist Church in the Great Valley. After the Civil War and the demise of the abolitionist movement the church slowly declined and closed its doors; the building was demolished in 1951. Many of the original families have continued to use its burial grounds, with the last burial in 2010 for John Nash, a Radnor High School teacher. The trust fund for the cemetery’s upkeep was exhausted in 2008, at which point the Radnor Historical Society took over as temporary caretaker.

A Works Progress Administration project to list all grave markings in the United States included this site in 1936-1937 and a copy of that project is now on file at the Historical Society. All interred who could be identified by their grave markings were listed with their positions noted on a grid. The graves may also be found at www.FindAGrave.com. A future project will be to photograph each gravestone to be posted to the site.

Volunteers have cleared brush, pulled ivy, raked leaves and hauled away a great deal of trash that has been dumped on the site over the years. They have come from such varied groups as the Troop 219 Boy Scouts, Villanova University students, the Wayne Bateman-Gallagher American Legion Post 668, the Italian-American Club, Friends of the Baptist Cemetery and neighbors. Several local tree companies have removed trees. An Eagle Scout project was proposed to list Civil War veterans, but the Scouts became so excited about their project that they decided to list all veterans, identify their graves, set markers on the proper graves, and determine the necessity of any grave restoration. Ground-penetrating radar has recently been used to identify burials with no visible headstones; so far one buried headstone has been found and raised.

Much remains to be done to clean up the site and to identify graves. If you are interested in participating, please call RHS or write to president@radnorhistory.org.

Volunteers are always needed! If you would like to help, please visit www.radnorhistory.org/volunteer.

(This article appeared in the September, 2011 Radnor Historical Society Newsletter. To receive the newsletter in the mail, consider becoming a member!)

This spring, two new signs were installed at the sites of two former P&W stations, at West Wayne Avenue (pictured) and Sugartown Road. These panels display historic photographs of the long-gone stations and tell their stories.

These signs are costly to produce, and were made possible thanks to contributions from the Radnor Conservancy and private donors. We would like to complete this project by installing signs at the sites of the remaining stations: Strafford, South Devon Avenue, Maplewood Avenue, Ithan, and Radnor-Chester Road. We can’t achieve this goal without you! To learn more and find out how you can help, please visit www.radnorhistory.org/trailsigns.

(This article appeared in the September, 2011 Radnor Historical Society Newsletter. To receive the newsletter in the mail, consider becoming a member!)

Since then, both the residents of Louella Court and the developer have stated their opinions on the matter in Main Line Suburban Life. The Louella Court article is found here, the developers’ here.

One Louella Court resident pointed out that the approved garage will link with the historic structure, and thus some demolition will be necessary. The HARB ruled on the garage, but did not consider its link with the mansion because a discussion about changes to the mansion as a whole was to be addressed at a future meeting. Dave Falcone, lawyer for C.F. Holloway III & Co., refuted this claim, saying that changes to the east side of the building were part of the discussion on the table and were shown on the plans submitted. South Wayne resident Baron Gemmer testified that changes to the main building were not discussed at the HARB meeting by either side. While referencing a drawing from the architect, Gemmer stated, “these windows and these stairs are all being demolished. What’s more important is not that they should have to come back, it’s that they can’t build the garage without demolishing this… to me the application is incomplete.” A drawing of the proposed changes shows that basement windows would be covered by the garage, which would be built above the current grade.

Left: the current conditions of the east façade. Right: the proposed changes.

The implication was that the discussion of the garage and changes to the east façade of the mansion go hand in hand, and the HARB had not adequately addressed the mansion or clarified that any changes to the mansion be voted on separately. Mr. Falcone stated his belief that those changes were shown in the plans submitted to the HARB, and that the approved garage construction could not be possible without the demolition. Mr. Holloway then spoke, stating that the connection of the garage to the building was discussed at all of the HARB meetings. “There was no question on HARB’s part as to where the building was going to be connected,” Holloway stated. “I find it interesting that there are certain people that are trying to delay this application when the connection of the underground garage was thoroughly discussed and approved by the HARB.” No members of the HARB were present at the Board of Commissioners meeting to clarify how they interpreted the plans.

Regarding the value of the windows set to be removed for the garage connection, Ward 4 Commissioner Elaine Shaeffer stated, “that’s what our HARB is there to protect; when there is a demolition of assets on a historic building that has been designated historic there needs to be that discussion.”

Mr. Holloway stated that he was “flabbergasted” by the process, at the prospect of having to go before the HARB for a fourth time. The confusion stemmed from whether the HARB approved the idea of the underground garage, or the full plans which imply that basement windows would be demolished. In the end, the Commissioners voted 3-2 (with one recusal) to table the approval and send it back to HARB, with the condition that the HARB come back to the Commissioners at their very next meeting to clarify their position. The HARB’s next meeting is July 6.

The discussion, which lasted over an hour, can be viewed below.

Video posted on YouTube by John Haines

Main Line Suburban Life – Louella Court neighbors feel a way of life threatened
The recent proposals to convert the historic Louella mansion into high-end condominiums and build a garage on its lawn has put the surrounding Louella Court community into focus. The homes encircling the mansion were built in the 1920s, and comprise one of Radnor’s three historic districts. The article includes several insightful interviews with Louella Court residents.

Radnor Patch – Viewfinder: Radnor Meeting House
Bill Ecklund, photographer for Radnor Patch, took many outstanding photographs of the 1717 Radnor Friends Meeting House. The meeting is one of Radnor’s oldest and most historic buildings, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Main Line Suburban Life – Using Radar to Find War Veterans’ Graves in Wayne
One of the Radnor Historical Society’s long-running projects has been the restoration of the First Baptist Church cemetery on West Wayne Avenue. This article details how radar techniques are being used to find graves in the cemetery.

Radnor Patch – Time Capsule with Ed O’Brien
Patch’s series of brief oral histories continues with retired teacher Ed O’Brien of Wayne.

Item 1: 219 S. Aberdeen Avenue

An architect showed drawings for a proposed addition to this home in the South Wayne Historic District. Changes include a mudroom side addition (one story) and a family room rear addition (one story). A glass enclosure on the front porch would be removed to restore the historically appropriate appearance to the home’s front elevation. The HARB voted for a certificate of appropriateness 3-0.

Item 2: 200 West Wayne Avenue

This building, currently a 5-unit apartment building, is a 19th century structure with a mansard roof in the Second Empire style. It is located on the corner of Bloomingdale Avenue, a road where several houses of the same style were built in the 1870s as Wayne’s first planned development. Though 200 West Wayne matches the homes on Bloomingdale closely in style, it dates from a later time.

The proposed changes to the property involve removing a non-historic garage and constructing a rear addition to the building. The addition will have a mansard roof to match the existing structure, though it will be one story lower than the existing structure. According to the developer, the building will remain a 5-unit complex. The new addition is to include two arched garage door openings facing the east driveway from Bloomingdale Avenue.

The building has been neglected over the years, its windows replaced indiscriminately. “The building needs everything,” said builder Matt Paolino in response to HARB member Andrea Pilling’s question regarding a previous proposal to demolish the building and construct a similar one in its place. “At the end of the day, I just didn’t think there would be the appetite in the community to lose the building.” Restoring the structure was the developer’s first plan of action, and they have returned to that plan despite the additional work.

The HARB approved a certificate of appropriateness 3-0.

Item 3: 40 Louella Court

The bulk of the meeting concerned the proposed underground garage for the Louella House, set to be converted into a condominium complex by developer C.F. Holloway, III. Following the HARB’s denial of the previous proposal regarding this property (upheld by the Board of Commissioners), Dave Falcone, a lawyer with Saul Ewing, presented what he called an “ultimate solution” to a parking garage on the site, an underground garage with no above-ground parking. An entrance to the underground garage would be found to the east of the Louella mansion, facing south, across from two existing residential driveways on Louella Court.

Gordon Eadie created a landscaping plan for the new proposal. A flagstone patio adjoining the east side of the mansion would link the residences to the garage. 11 trees will be removed, and 18 will be planted.

Mr. Holloway stated that historically significant stairs on the west end of the mansion will be removed, and possibly relocated to another part of the property.

One Louella Court resident voiced concerns about possible detrimental effects of underground garages on historic structures. Other speakers’ concerns included changes to the building’s historic fabric, gentrification due to the building’s conversion into higher-end residences, the loss of existing trees, the effect of headlights of cars coming out of the garage, and more. The interaction between Louella Court neighbors and the developer was tense at times.

Despite the discussion about the house and grounds, the issue on the table at this particular meeting was the garage. In the end, the board members issued a certificate of appropriateness for the underground garage. The developer will likely have to go before the board again to present exterior alterations to the mansion.

Meeting Video (posted on YouTube by John Haines)