Chester County Court Judge Anthony Verwey made his decision on Monday about the fate of a West Goshen property, informally known as Forsythe Farm, writes Brooke Shultz for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
According to his order, Verwey deemed the property at 905 Westtown Rd. to be an “imminent threat of danger” and that “rehabilitation of the buildings is not feasible,” leading to his approval for demolition.
Owner Joseph Kravitz purchased the century-old plot in 2003, where he had originally planned for housing development. Instead, the site has fallen into disrepair and is now under conservatorship to BDP Impact Real Estate due to safety issues.
West Goshen Township said that police have been called numerous times for intruder or gun shot reports, but could not search very far into the house for fear of the floor falling through. Additionally, an engineer assessing the property was not willing to enter because of the dangers.
Meanwhile, local advocates who formed the Save Forsythe Farm group were frustrated with the proceeding, noting that the community was in a tough spot to go against the legal process.
It would cost nearly $300,000 for the total demolition project, while conservation and rehabilitation was estimated at $1.2 million.
“Any demolition or development of this historic property will face the strongest opposition and Save Forsythe Farm will continue to seek legal recourse to protect neighbors, our environment and our history,” wrote the group.
Read more about the West Goshen property and follow up on its future at The Philadelphia Inquirer.
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Save Forsythe Farm group advocates for the rehabilitation of the property that has historic significance.
