Last week MoreThanTheCurve.com reported that the developer who was seeking to build a townhouse community on the Abolition Hall property had withdrawn its application.

On Thursday, The Philadelphia Inquirer published an article about the developer abandoning its plan and the article includes a quote from Laura Boyle Nestor, president of the Whitemarsh Township’s Board of Supervisors on the township interest in the property. From the article:

Last week, Whitemarsh’s board of supervisors announced that the developer had abandoned plans for a townhouse community. The township has wanted to own the property for years and is among those interested in purchasing it, said Laura Boyle Nestor, chair of the board.

“Personally, I find that history of Abolition Hall critical to maintain,” she said. Whitemarsh is “pursuing all options” to buy the land and preserve both the history and the open space, she said.

The township previously attempted to buy the property and commissioned two appraisals, but state statutes do not allow Whitemarsh to offer above what it was told the property was worth. The property owners rejected the township’s proposals and chose to look elsewhere, Boyle Nestor said.

But in October 2018, the township approved conditional use of the property, which she said could raise its value. Whitemarsh is considering commissioning another appraisal.

More to come.

Photo: Wikipedia Commons