Chalfont Historic District
PennsylvaniaThe Threat
In summer of 2003, Baldridge Real Estate, Inc., working with Eckerd Drug, proposed a new drugstore at the intersection of North Main Street and East Butler Avenue in Chalfont, PA. Chalfont, population 3,900, is located twenty miles north of Philadelphia. If built, the store would cover approximately 10,000 square feet in the heart of Chalfont’s local historic district, requiring the demolition of three houses dating between 1870-1900, and a 1930s gas station now housing a bagel shop.
The Preservation Effort
In response, local residents formed the Friends of Historic Chalfont. They expressed their opposition by creating phone chains, instituting letter-writing campaigns, lobbying local and state elected officials, and engaging in picketing at the proposed development site. The National Trust aided the Friends with additional technical assistance, and contacted Eckerd regarding the company’s commitment to avoid demolishing properties listed on the National Register.
The correspondence campaign waged by the Friends paid off. In a rare but influential move, Buck’s County commissioners publicly opposed the project. Additional support came from State Sen. Joe Conti and State Rep. Katharine Watson (their districts include Chalfont), both of whom wrote letters against the proposal. Eckerd responded with a revised plan for relocating the historic homes, placing the parking lot and drive-through windows behind the building rather than adjacent to the street, and adding some Victorian design elements as a reference to the architectural style of the neighborhood. At an August 4, 2003 meeting before the borough’s planning commission, a galvanized Chalfont continued to reject Eckerd’s plans, despite the changes. The next week, prior to any planning commission ruling, Eckerd withdrew their proposal.
The Result
Friends of Historic Chalfont demonstrated how an organized, informed community group can be effective in deciding local issues. Timing was important, as the publicity impacted the borough commission’s decision-making before demolition approval. The willingness to collaborate spearheaded a publicity effort that included local and state legislators, and a partnership with the National Trust provided strategic help, technical assistance and experience. By garnering political support, using the media to their advantage, and organizing successfully, the Friends of Chalfont were able to preserve a historic district deemed vital to the community’s heritage.
For more information contact:
www.nationaltrust.org/issues/drugstores
Gerit J. Lewisch
Chalfont, Pennsylvania
215-297-5344
