County Park Phase ll -Article in Town Talk

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john Haigis

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Nov 13, 2025, 11:30:42 AM11/13/25

to Gina Burritt

Dear Friends and Stewards of Woodburne: You may have seen this attached article from a recent edition of Town Talk. I am glad to read work is planned to improve sightlines to the house and I am curious if the stakeholder group of community members mentioned in the article is the group that was formed in 2018 or a new group? I also wonder about the white lines and flags that recently appeared. Enlisting community support is vital and the fact that Parks and Recreation claimed to have no responsibility for anything inside the fence puts the burden on County Public Works which already has a rather full plate. In a time of profound climate, social, and fiscal challenges, the County may be overlooking resources it already has. Buildings evolve over time and clearing the debris that has fallen will not be quick, but recognizing, evaluating and utilizing what we already have could be cost effective, ecologically sustainable, and well worth the effort. Has a structural survey ever been done to determine what parts are still usable and what parts are not?

Restoration of the interior of the main house may no longer be realistic, but creative adaptive reuse of the existing structure, including the surrounding stone walls, steel I-beam frame and parts of the building not destroyed by leaks may be. The building still exhibits two of the three pillars of classical architecture of strength and beauty, but finding a use (utilitas) has been challenging. This is a video about some of those areas

Useable parts of Woodburne October 7, 2025

The County is to be commended for saving open space where Alden, Clifton Heights, Collingdale, Darby Borough, Lansdowne, Upper Darby and Yeadon intersect on "Uncommon Common Ground." Because the site has been a witness to nearly 400 years of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and American History, there may be opportunities to celebrate the site and area as part of America 250. Contact us if you would like more information or to help.

This is the history page from our web site

https://darbyhistory.com/Woodburne-History.html

Respectfully.

John and Jan Haigis

Friends of Woodburne

1006 Main Street

Darby, Pa 19023

610-809-4856

Woodburne

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john Haigis

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Nov 22, 2025, 4:21:03 PM11/22/25

to Gina Burritt, Danielle Floyd, Tracy Strickland, Robert Linn, Christine Reuther, Elaine Schaefer, Alvin Holm, Monica Taylor, Richard Womack, Kevin Madden, Anne Stauffer, Beverlee Barnes, Peter Williamson, steven beckley, Katharine Clifford, Joar Dahn, MARK POSSENTI, Alvin Holm

Dear Gina Burritt and Danielle Floyd. Thank for you responding to my recent email and I am wondering if the work being done would allow electric service to the buildings for an appropriate use?

Even in its ruined condition, The Woodburne Plateau is important to all of us for what it was, (witness to 400 years of Delco, Pennsylvania and American history) , what it is, (a resilient neglected building which against all odds still survives), and what it could be (a place to teach, learn and celebrate the building arts and the environment.)

There indeed have been many changes since 2018 including the increasing need for affordability, sustainability and stewardship.

We are entering a new era where we are encouraged to view what we already have with new eyes for the benefit of all of us. Woodburne can be a part of the path to a more sustainable future.

After the Sisters of the Divine Redeemer left the property in 2005, I worked with Ed Silberstein, who had made a development proposal to the Sisters, trying to keep people out of the property, setting up trail cameras and doing what we could. In 2012 we made a proposal to the Sisters of the Divine Redeemer to have the Academy of Building Conservation establish a presence in the building. This was before 2013 when scrappers stole copper from the roof causing the leaks which led to the collapse of all three floors of the main house. I am still bewildered how a crew was able to work on the roof and steal copper from 17 dormers with no one seeing them. We were able to tour the building and take pictures in 2009, 2011 and 2013 with another potential developer who had asked the Darby Historical Commission's help in finding an adaptive reuse for the building. Rich Paul, late of the Heritage Commission and several others were among the few who have actually been inside in the building from sub-basement to attic (before the damage started) and could be a useful resource for context as part of site assessment. We are asking to be included in a site visit. Videos show that there are safe pathways in the service wing, courtyard and sunporch that can be used. Discovering and mapping those areas could be very helpful. The stone walls appear to be largely intact.

I was elated when the County purchased the property in 2016 and attended the information sessions which came up with a number of low impact uses which are still possible. in February 2018 we got an estimate for putting EPDM on the dormers for $7,500 and were working to recruit architects, advisors and advocates to help us including Alvin Holm, Kathy Dowdell, Gersil Kay, Aaron Wunsch, the Collingdale Historical Society and others, but the County at that time did not show much interest in accepting help.

The first Master Plan was issued in 2018 and we did a clean up and started the Friends of Woodburne as a subsidiary of the 501(c)(3) Friends of the Blue Bell “to work with Delaware County and other partners toward the appreciation, preservation, and utilization” of this unique Trumbauer designed building.

In 2018 I was asked to step back by people I respected because they said the County was not listening to me. I acknowledged they might have better local connections and stepped back, but after that initiative fell apart, I stepped up again when I saw an urban explorer video that showed neglected but undamaged areas in the kitchen wing like I saw when we were able to tour the building in 2009, 2011, and 2013. I realized parts of the building were intact, could be used, and could be a place to start.

Even in its ruined condition, Trumbauer built to endure, but we really don’t know what is inside. The Main House is in ruins as is the area around the elevator shaft in the kitchen/service wing. There is a stone patio off of the breakfast room and a masonry one story annex that could be used for education or a craft center.

The County may have been more interested in the park than the mansion but with no development pressure, stable stone walls. steel inner structure and a strategic location, it can be a chance to actually reimagine, reuse and utilize an existing structure for the benefit of the County, the community and for our future.

I apologize for my lengthy emails and for being a pain in the posterior.

Respectfully,

John Haigis

Friend of Woodburne

1006 Main Street

Darby PA 19023

610–809–4856

On Nov 13, 2025, at 3:41 PM, Burritt, Gina <Burr...@co.delaware.pa.us> wrote:

Hi John,

As you are aware and as was discussed in the article, we are at the beginning phases of the masterplan update. There is also a concurrent project happening to add lighting and security cameras in the park, funded through a grant. That is what those lines and flags are for, as Danielle noted in her response.

We have been working with the municipalities to identify steering committee members, as municipal officials and staff have changed since 2018, the group will be made up of different members. There will also be a survey that will be distributed to the public in the coming months.

The project team is currently doing their background research and site assessment. Much more community engagement will occur as the project progresses. We will share out all of those events as they get scheduled.

Thank you for your interest in this project.

Sincerely,

Gina

From: john Haigis <joh...@yahoo.com>
Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2025 11:30 AM
To: Burritt, Gina <Burr...@co.delaware.pa.us>
Subject: (EXTERNAL) [External] County Park Phase ll -Article in Town Talk