Continental Bank is planning to build a branch at 6th and Fayette (sw corner) and to do requires them to tear down the former home/now office space, plus a carriage house, currently there.
I received an email from a concerned citizen regarding this. A couple notes, the carriage house has been the home of a local since 1993. The email also expressed outrage that a bank would use bail out money to destroy a historic home. I checked to see if Continental received bail out money and as far as I can tell they did not.
I think the larger issue is whether Conshohocken wants to keep the historic feel of Fayette Street as intact as possible or allow modernization.
Please discuss.
This is my home where my father and myself reside. We live in the carriage House which is behind the main home pictured below. Built in 1854 it represents old time charm – it represents history, it represents architecture you don’t see anymore* It is an Historic Landmark in my eyes. I think what is important here is a piece of History is up to be demolished to build yet another bank in this small town. Continental Bank*
If you look at this house and carriage house behind it you see history. When the roads were dirt and horse and buggy’s lined the streets. The architecture of this home is a work of art* you just don’t find these types of structures much anymore. They should be preserved for years to come. It is a part of the towns past.
The Miraglia house represents old time charm of Conshohocken. The Miraglia House located at 528 Fayette Street was built in 1854. REPEAT 1854* Before the Civil War! It was built by Squire Jones for Joseph Whitton. Whitton owned a large Wool Mill on Washington Street along the river. Dr Paul Miraglia and his wife, Eleanor, purchased the property in 1938, and Law and Tax offices now occupy the Main structure and behind the main structure on the grounds is a 19th Carriage house where as the name says, the horses and Carriages were housed. This was reconstructed in the late 20th c and provides a home for 2 residents. The Carriage house has an upstairs and a down stairs apartment houses.
http://books.google.com/books?id=1Sld5utyCDgC&pg=PA15&lpg=PA15&dq=Miraglia+house+of+conshohocken&source=bl&ots=PGhHDl9HDu&sig=j1IpKYyPvvslJ-PoevaJq-ru3ts&hl=en&ei=WzVfS8mtM9GjlAfq-6nmCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CA0Q6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=&f=false
This building is listed as one of only a small handful of Historic properties left in this town. This building is featured in 2 books and represents old time charm. I think it is sad and sickening to tear down this HISTORIC PROPERTY BUILT IN 1854 TO BUILD ANOTHER BANK! Even the Walnut tree in the yard of this home is historic. It’s a living, breathing form of life from times past. This town needs to come together and save this historic building!
I plan to move out sometime in the fall or winter of 2010- next winter. See, it is not about saving this structure so I can live here for ever – or my 72 year old father can still reside here; it’s about saving a piece of the past. The architecture, the history – its life. I drive around and I see these homes built in a matter of months- where each home looks like the next and everyone has 2.5 kids and a mini van in the drive way. You don’t see much in the way of history anymore as big companies tear down nature to build a shopping mall or a string of homes or another bank – IT’S THE HISTORY, THE CHARM OF THE PAST AND THE ARCHITECTURE ITSELF. IT IS PRICELESS AND SHOULD BE PRESERVED*
SAVE THIS STRUCTURE*GET A PETITION GOING, DO WHAT YOU CAN*
Just to keep the facts of the story straight…the name Continental Bank has been used by several institutions over the years. This is a locally owned version and only has 10 branches. It was founded in 2005.
http://www.thecontinentalbank.com/about_mission.asp
The book referenced above was written by Jack and Brian Coll, both residents of Conshohocken, and share an interest in the history and preservation of the borough’s past. Jack, a longtime photographer and member of the Conshohocken Historical Society if still around may be someone to contact in regard to saving this building. Certainly the Conshohoken Historical Society would be motivated to do something if they felt this building held historical significance.
I would certainly do my part to save the building!
Nothing is stopping the Boro. from buying the building! You cant interfere with private property rights.
As a lifelong resident of Conshohocken, and someone whose father co-founded the Conshohocken Historical Society, I thoroughly agree to try and “save” the Miraglia House. There is so much history in my hometown, and for the sake of progress, it is disappearing. My father taught me, albeit too late, to appreciate what brought us to our destination — in my instance — Conshohocken. When I lived there it used to be a traffic trap and eyesore, but my beloved father saw the promise and future of “Pleasant Valley”. After he retired and before I got his history bug, he gave most of his pictures to Jack Coll, who has kept the spirit and nuance of Conshohocken alive. Sad to say, my homestead at 201 Harry Street built in the late 1800’s (or so I was told) that had 13′ ceilings, a beautiful hand-carved mahogany staircase, window seats, and many other architectural traditions from the Harry Family, will also one day be torn down. The good doctor is now gone, and his love of the town, though, lives on through me. Daddy truly loved that town as much as he loved his God and family. Sad to say, I never came to this realization until I moved out. The Miraglia House is as much a part of Conshohocken as the Fayette Street bridge. But, as someone said in the above post, when something is sold it is sold. But, even though the implosions will occur and new buildings may be put there, you cannot take away the memories. (My father was Dr. Joseph Leary)
I am posting this on my blog, and sending an email to a couple of council people. This is horrible and ridiculous. There are plenty of places they could build a bank. And really, do we need more banks? Geeze.
This is horrible. The last thing conshy needs is yet another bank. Depressing.
Wall Street vs. Main (Fayette) Street in Conshohocken | A Rubber Door // Jan 27, 2010 at 6:32 am
[...] Read more about this on More Than The Curve.com [...]
I am pretty sure I saw this house in a book of old conshy homes from the turn of the century. Jack Coll would know more about that. I would hope the borough could think far enough ahead so our kids kids will still have places like that to see.
Zoning Hearing — 528 Fayette Street « Jason Salus – Conshohocken Council, Ward 1 // Jan 27, 2010 at 3:04 pm
[...] Hearing — 528 Fayette Street I recently received a number of inquiries about the proposed Continental Bank on Fayette Street. The Conshohocken Zoning Hearing Board will consider the applicant’s zoning requests at [...]
nothing is sacred no more in Conshy..Why don’t the boro sell them(continental bank) the old verizon building (it is the worlds ugliest building and needs to be torn down….)….lets preserve some historic properties in CONSHY…we lost many of historic properties to urban renewal and to gas stations and BANKS already……its all about $$$$$$
Maybe Continental could sell pizza, too? We don’t have enough pizza joints either.
Ridiculous.
The reason companies/developers can do this P/L-only driven development is because Conshohocken has NEVER been governed by anyone with any forethought to controlled, aesthetically pleasing, historically sensitive suburban growth that benefits the quality of life of resident and taxpayer. The borough is broke because it pissed away all its past opportunities. And now it cannot even afford a re-write of its obsolete zoning ordinances to allow for continued stewardship of its last remaining historic buildings.
Dumb. Just plain dumb.
Can we convince Continental Bank to buy the old blue Verizon building and use that?
So I did go to the Zoning meeting on 2/15 and basically I was shocked and appalled. I was shocked at the lack of interest from the public and I was appalled by the board members. I don’t even think they read the report prior to coming to the meeting. The lawyer won and got a variance issued to have less parking spaces than the Boro required. They have alread won three of such variances BTW…
The most disturbing thing that came out of it was the one of the board members said that maybe it should go back thru the zoning requirments and alter the specifications for parking spots for banks!!!!!! WHAT???
I don’t think people are really understanding what is going on and we really do need to band together on this and TRY to do something.
Call Joe Collins (part of the historical society)
As told to me via Jason Salus:
To my knowledge the Historical Society in Conshohocken has not been involved in preservation efforts in the past. The best person to contact at the Society is Joe Collins (610-828-4022). They are housed at the Mary Wood Park House;
Let’s do our part and bug the sh*t out of the Society!
Conshy is my home – for generations. I keep asking WHY!!! does Council to do this all the time. Those office bldgs are an eyesore, please save the beautiful old bldgs that are left. Do we really need another BANK, or is it the developers money and a greedy government. Conshy has so many new people that are not aware of the history in our wonderful town. We had a beautiful little town at one time. We have to keep whats left for the future generations. Yes contact the historical society, and Joe Collins is wonderful and loves this town. Wake up Council.