Pocopson considers Barnard House options

Pocopson residents got their first look Tuesday night at possible plans for the historic Barnard House and the Denton Hollow Road administration building. A decision on which plan the supervisors will approve is not expected until later this year. Neither plan would result in a tax increase for residents over the next two years, Pocopson Treasurer Peggy Lennon told the crowd of almost 30 at the supervisors’ work session meeting, held at Pocopson Home because of the interest it generated.

“Pocopson is in a strong position to fund either option,” Lennon said, “without a negative impact on operations.”

The plans were the culmination of a feasibility study by GKO Architects, which was tasked with finding the best use for the Barnard House and also studying whether the township administration building could be moved to the Barnard House or expanded at its current location.

“Relocate or renovate? There’s not a very clear answer,” said GKO’s Susan Feenan.

Township residents who would like to see the proposed plans can do so at the township administration building on Denton Hollow Road.

Barnard House

Work to transform the historic Barnard House into administrative offices for the township would cost $2.2 million.

It would involve what GKO principal Mike O’Rourke called a “fair amount of sitework and renovations.”

There would be administrative offices for the township on the first floor, as well as a lobby. An addition to the historic building would add an atrium and a large meeting room.

Only the first floor of the house was deemed usable, and the plan would work within the house’s existing rooms, O’Rourke said. Because of code issues with the second floor, such as the stairs and the lack of barrier-free access, the second floor “would need to be classified as ‘unoccupied.’”

One challenge has been trying to figure out how to work within the confines of the covenant. Feenan said one question GKO had to answer was how to have restrooms available for the public who were using the land around the Barnard House, while also keeping the township’s files and office spaces secure.

The existing parking lot, which was newly paved several years ago, would need to be moved slightly to accommodate the changes, O’Rourke said.

With this option, Pocopson would need to borrow up to $1.2 million, Lennon said. The supervisors would look at a 20-year-loan with an annual payment of about $81,000, and an option to pay it off earlier.

Denton Hollow building

If the supervisors choose to add onto the existing township office space, that option would cost $1.6 million, according to Feenan. The plan would keep the meeting room in the same area but add an addition in the back for secure file storage and office space.

It would also keep the Barnard House property available for other options, but would also mean the township would be paying to take care of the two properties.

Under this option, Pocopson would look at borrowing up to $500,000 and taking out a 10-year-loan with an annual payment around $51,000, according to Lennon.

Friends of Barnard House

A third option was presented by the Friends of Barnard House, which proposes turning the historic house into an educational heritage center.

In a first phase, the first floor would be renovated and used for meeting space and presentations, and educational materials would be used to decorate, according to the informational poster presented by the group. They would seek out an estimated $60,000-$80,000 in grants to help fund this phase, according to Loraine Lucas of the group.

A second phase would feature a feasibility study looking at the historic interpretation, a vision for and preservation of the property, Lucas said, as well as a capital campaign to raise money for the needed renovations.

About Monica Fragale

Monica Thompson Fragale is a freelance reporter who spent her life dreaming of being in the newspaper business. That dream came true after college when she started working at The Kennett Paper and, years later The Reporter newspaper in Lansdale and other dailies. She turned to non-profit work after her first daughter was born and spent the next 13 years in that field. But while you can take the girl out of journalism, you can’t take journalism out of the girl. Offers to freelance sparked the writing bug again started her fingers happily tapping away on the keyboard. Monica lives with her husband and two children in Kennett Square.

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