2024 in review part 2 - Chadds Ford Live

The second half of 2024 saw a convicted murderer back in court, a reimagined Longwood Gardens, a Unionville High. School grad helped the U.S. win Olympic gold, the sale of The Chaddsford Winery, a revamped courtyard at the Brandywine Museum of Art, and an end of the Chadds Ford Business Association.

July

PennDOT announced some updates for work on two area roads. Route 1 from the Kennett Bypass to Greenwood Road in Kennett and East Marlborough townships will get another lane in both directions. Preliminary work — moving utilities — began last year. “We are close to being done with utility relocations,” said PennDOT spokesman Brad Rudolph. “The contractor plans to start when the utility poles are pulled. Hopefully within the next month or two to start. Finish timeframe on the latest schedule shows fall 2025.” Work also resumed on the widening of Conchester Highway from Concord Township to that road’s connection to I-95.
Pocopson Elementary School got a new principal. Gabriel Savage was hired to replace Cliff Beaver who retired.
The ongoing controversy over COVID restrictions within the Unionville-Chadds Ford School district continued. Birmingham Township’s Chad Williams continued his fight with the school board, challenging the legality of the district’s masking policy and has filed a formal complaint with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Williams has filed complaints concerning the district’s actions over the last three years but said he’s not received any satisfactory response. The district’s attorney Mark Fitzgerald declined to comment because, he said, “the process involving [Superintendent of Schools] Dr. Sanville is extremely confidential."

August

Unionville High School grad Justin Best was part of the four-man rowing team that won a gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympic Games. It was the first time the United States won gold in the men’s four class since 1960.
Chadds Ford Township residents packed Turner’s Mill meeting room to express concerns over the cost of maintaining Painter’s Folly, a large home adjacent to the Brandywine Battlefield Park that the township purchased in 2018. According to one resident, the township had spent $276,000 for maintenance and upkeep on top of the $625,000 used to buy the 3.9-acre property. Maintenance of the property had always been a concern, which is why the former owners, George and Helen Sipala sold.
Convicted murderer Danelo Cavalcante was back in the news a year after he escaped from Chester County Prison in August of 2023. He was recaptured two weeks later. He was back in court this time to be sentenced for. the escape.

September

Chadds Ford Township Supervisors’ Vice Chairman Timotha Trigg announced the hiring of Eric Brown of Siana Law for what she termed “a sensitive manner.” Supervisors did not say what that matter was, and Trigg did not respond to an email asking for clarification. It is believed that the issue concerns the allegations of ethics violations mentioned in. April, though there has been no confirmation.
The sale of the Chaddsford Winery became official. CFW was sold to the Vinton family who own the White Horse Winery in New Jersey. A few days later, BJ Vinton said some changes were planned but nothing major in the immediate future. “We definitely plan on expanding,” Vinton said. “There have not been any renovations to the winery in I believe well over a decade. We would like to expand both the indoor and outdoor event spaces.”

October

The Unionville-Chadds Ford School Board began the process of learning what district residents want to be done, if anything, with CF Patton Middle School. An information meeting was held on Oct. 9. Superintendent of Schools John Sanville said no decision has been made, but the options are to replace, renovate, or maintain. The school board is scheduled to vote in February.
The Brandywine Conservancy and Museum of Art held a party to celebrate a milestone. The Enchanted Courtyard by the Light of the Moon party came three years after the last bits of Hurricane Ida caused the Brandywine River to rise almost 20 feet in hours on Sept. 2, 2021. The celebration was held in the newly revamped museum courtyard. The multi-million-dollar courtyard renovation required about eight months of construction.

November

Longwood Reimagined became a reality in November. here are six new buildings, a renovation of others, and a rearranging of a few pathways. The bonsai and cascade gardens have been moved, and the lower level of the main conservatory was renovated to include a new restaurant and event space. But Longwood’s President and CEO Paul Redman said the biggest change and the centerpiece of the project is the construction of a new conservatory, the West Conservatory, a 32,000-square-foot glasshouse built where a parking lot had been.
It was announced that Kennett Township was able to get back about 82 percent of the open space and sewer funds that former township Manager Lisa Moore was convicted of embezzling from the township. The supervisors voted to “close out the financial liabilities” related to Moore’s embezzlement and transfer $642,435 to the open space fund and $446,069 to the sewer fund. The transfers will come from the general fund and represent money recovered by the township since the embezzlement was first discovered in May 2019.
While no action has been taken yet, The Henderson Group, owner of Painters Crossing Shopping Center, wants to erect a new building that would cover three pads at the southeast corner of the center. Henderson President and CEO Brian Coyle took the concept to the Chadd s Ford Township Planning Commission. Those pads had been occupied by Farmers’ Road, Arby’s, and the first location for El Gran Rodeo. Those pads were demolished two years ago. Plans are to replace them with one structure of 15,000-plus square feet. The new building could house up to five new businesses, with one being a restaurant with a drive-thru.

December

Townships passed their budgets for 2025. Birmingham saw a township property tax increase from 1.6 to 1.9 mills. It was the first increase in Birmingham taxes since 2010. Kennett Township saw a 0.1 mill increase. Property taxes in Concord, Chadds Ford, and Pennsbury remained steady, but fire taxes went up in Concord and Chadds Ford went from a $100 per year Business Privilege Tax to a $225 per year Business Registration Fee. The entire BRF will go to the Concordville Fire Co.
Supervisors to Residents of The Ridings development in Chadds Ford Townships again asked the township Board of Supervisors to intercede on their behalf regarding a proposed shopping center in the field at the intersection of Route 202 and Ridge Road. The property is in Concord Township but abuts Chadds Ford. Residents are concerned about increased traffic congestion and the possibility of stormwater runoff negatively affecting their well water.
Westtown Township closed on Crebilly Farm. The township, residents, and others fought a proposed development by Toll Bros. and finally succeeded in getting most of the 300-plus acre property conserved. Westtown Supervisor Tom Foster said, “The Westtown Board of Supervisors, our dedicated staff, and scores of enthusiastic volunteers have worked tirelessly to fulfill the mandate to preserve Crebilly Farm as a natural open space.
Joe Lafferty, president of the Chadds Ford Business Association, announced at the December luncheon that the CFBA was disbanding. He cited challenges that the CFBA couldn’t overcome. Those challenges include a decline in attendance at meetings and too few volunteers for board positions. The CFBA officially launched in 1995.

About Rich Schwartzman

Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.