Bethlehem resident Doug Lander spoke at the March 21 Bethlehem Township Commissioner's meeting concerning "more and more vandalism" that he and his wife have noticed during the past two months at Housenick Park. Although he noted that the mansion has been boarded up, it has an "abandoned and neglected look." He added that there are huge sinkholes near a parking lot that was just completed for the park, and suggested that security cameras need to be installed.
Lander and his wife noticed vandalism while walking at the park the previous Saturday.
On Saturday morning, approximately 11:15, my wife and I were walking the perimeter of the Housenick Mansion and observed what appeared to be a break-in and vandalism at the mansion. My wife walks there daily and recalled that as of 4:00 pm on Friday evening, the damage to the property had not yet occurred. Sadly, it seems that vandalism occurs all to often at the property with the resulting plywood covers over windows diffusing the still somewhat stately presence of the mansion.
The attached pictures [you can see them above] show the damage. The bottom half of one of the floor to ceiling windows in the sun room on the north side was completely destroyed to (apparently) gain entrance. Other panes were damaged as well. Some type of pipe was removed and tossed in the yard area and at least two cans of old paint were removed. What little paint left in the cans was splattered on the brick steps and one can was tossed on the steps. Paint was also splattered just a bit down the drive. We spotted the second can in the wooded area on the other side of the stone wall during our walk this afternoon.
We did place a call to the police and explained our findings upon their arrival. The alarm system apparently did work, as they had received a call on Friday night around 8:00 pm. The police indicated that they are at the property on a fairly regular basis, often due to a call that the portable toilet had been tipped over.
During our walk on Sunday, we did notice that the window has been covered with plywood. The paint cans were still lying about. There were also broken window panes in the porch-like area in the rear of the mansion that we had observed on Saturday, but we do not recall if that was new damage. Sadly, while the mansion would appear to have so much potential, the repeated acts of those with no regard for history and who do not respect the property of others, leaves us to wonder if the mansion will too soon be a victim of a tragic loss or simply become too expensive to consider returning to some likeness of its former grandeur.
Lander asked Commissioners what they plan to do with mansion. He said he recalled there was a plan, but it is two years old. Michael Hudak disputed that, saying the plan is only a year old.
Township Manager Melissa Shafer's March report indicates the following facts about Housenick Park:
* The Township now owns the driveway leading to the Park, and will complete paving this Spring.
* Draft plans for the mansion and bathrooms have been submitted to Comm'rs, and they are expected to decide on the best use of the mansion after reviewing them.
* :The Township has applied for a $427,222 grant for the park and trails.
* Housenick Trustees have asked for a meeting with Commissioners.
30 comments:
Hudak has a plan.
Let the building collapse.
The majority of the commissioners are not honest in this instance.
The Trustees are simply incompetent and or lazy.
Not a winning combination.
They prop up this waste of money and they call Gracedale a white elephant. Sell the land, it is a vandalism nightmare and the tree huggers problem. Stop wasting tax payer money on crap like this.
Why not give the land to the city of Bethlehem? It is obvious that the owners are incapable of handling this "oasis "in the desert that is the township.The commissioners have not fulfilled their agreement to restore the mansion nor will they act on that promise in the future because they have no interest in the rich history and culture of the city of Bethlehem. The sollution is simple. Hand over the unspent 2,000,000.00 dollars(bequeathed to take care of the estate) along with the property to the city of Bethlehem and let those tree huggers restore it properly for the future use and benefit of all the citizens of the Lehigh Valley.
The Township is basically broke with little significant monies in reserve. It operates paycheck to paycheck. Remember the Township just raised taxes and is actively considering a first in the Lehigh Valley drainage tax on its residents. The mansion and park should never have been accepted by the Township in first place. It lacks the staff and resources to care for the lands and building. To put any Township taxpayer money into the park is not proper based on the fiscal circumstances of the community. The mansion should actually be demolished or turned over to someone else for restoration and use purposes. This Township can not continue to spend its way to please everyone.
Time and again we heard the roof is secure, the building has been stabilized.
Hudak is a liar intent on having this treasure fall into ruination. The man has bullied and abused all those that have stepped forward to help.
The Trustees have never been sharp enough or engaged properly to use their funds to leverage additional funds. The Trustees are AWOL while Hudak waits for the treasure to become a derilect
The plan is obvious.
Let the mansion become a public hazard and use the Trust money to demolish the structure.
Hudak and his wife will have the last laugh.
Nothing is sacred to these creeps.
Nothing is worth preserving.
Pave it all.
If Bethlehem were to take this piece of junk over it would be the death keel for the so called administration and the lackluster puppet council. Hmmmmm, on second thought maybe 5:39 has a good idea.
" Remember the Township just raised taxes and is actively considering a first in the Lehigh Valley drainage tax on its residents."
I will be writing a story about what is going on. I was only able to write two stories last night. But your description is inaccurate. It is anot a "drainage tax on residents." It is an assessment that can be legally imposed on everyone, including nonprofits that are ordinarily exempt. The Township's biggest complaint is stormwater, and that is its biggest problem. But the loudest ones complaining about this assessment are the ones complaining about the stormwater.
I have removed several comments that engage in anonymous personal attacks. Though the target is an elected official, and I grant some latitude in that area, I am really tired of the general deterioration of both civility and honesty in politics. If you want to take a shot at someone, please identify yourself. That is at least honest.
"Why not give the land to the city of Bethlehem? It is obvious that the owners are incapable of handling this "oasis "in the desert that is the township.The commissioners have not fulfilled their agreement to restore the mansion nor will they act on that promise in the future because they have no interest in the rich history and culture of the city of Bethlehem"
Trustees want to meet with Comm'rs, and it could be that they are concerned about how the park is being managed. I'm not sure Bethlehem would do better. The City is even more cash strapped.
the city doesn't want it! "an albatross"
from the horses mouth, no assuming. trustees have no say in how the park is managed or developed. it is officially a township park. their only charge is managing the trust money and by law dispersing it to the township when requested. from what i'm told they meet every year with township representatives to see what the township will be looking for each year as far as trust money goes. This gives the trutees an idea of how much money theyll have and how agressive they can be in their investment strategy for the upcoming year.
The Trustees are incompetent.
That money should be leveraged into significant grant dollars or matching funds at the very least.
We're watching a dance between the dull and the criminally small minded.
What a shame.
" trustees have no say in how the park is managed or developed. it is officially a township park. their only charge is managing the trust money and by law dispersing it to the township when requested"
The Trusteees have an obligation to see that the Testatrix' wishes are fulfilled. If they see that they are squandering the money entrusted to them by giving it to a Twp that is mismanaging the park, they have every right to turn off the faucet.
Where's Teletubby Barron and the Friends of the Housenick Estate? Those zealots and treehuggers should be there every weekend cleaning up garbage, repairing broken windows and fixing the place up. Otherwise, tear the place down! It's historical significance is minimal and it is a liability risk for the township.
Bernie,
There must be a land trust as well as the monitary trusts, one in the same¿!)$
The secret is who and what LLC landholding intrests are hidden behind the curtain¿!)$
Nothing can be said about Mike Hudak that does him justice.
About what we've come to expect from the boobs at the Twp.
The Trustees on the other hand are a major disappointment.
@12:33
The land is owned by the Township. The remainder of the land around it is owned by the Moravian Church, who have no interest in development. The only monetary interest is the Trust, which exists to fund the preservation. A master plan was adopted, but is it being followed?
The "Master Plan" was an overpriced template that as thin as it is hasn't been followed.
The Trustees were duped yet again.
If you want to attack a private figure personally, you have to sign your name.
The "Master Plan" is a quickie cut and paste job that any moderately talented graduate student could have put together on their PC over a long weekend.
It's hard to believe anyone shelled out good money for that boilerplate.
Neither the park trustees or the Twp. has any idea how to care for this remarkable land.
The Housenick Park is owned by the twshp. The moravians sold their land(except for a small piece) to NLT for a substantial sum of money .Whether they have or had an interest in developing the land is another question which is no longer relavant . The Master Plan was adopted by the twshp but they decided not to follow the plan because they do what they want to do,not what they commit in writing to doing and they have no interest in preserving or promoting the culture or history of Bethlehem. Ask Hudak off the record and he will rant and rave about that" worthless,dilapidated old shack".As long as Hudak is around,nothing will be done to arrest the deterioration of the mansion.
Give the building to the Community Collage.
They can do a student run B&B or an environmental center.
Either that or watch it fall apart until the sleepy trustees pay to have it demolished.
The word "Treehugger" is used in some of the comments above as if it is a bad thing! I'd rather be a treehugger any day over being a "pavement-hugger" or a "building-hugger". Pavement and buildings can can made/built very quickly. Man cannot make or build a tree. A tree is not "made" quickly. It takes a very LONG time for a tree to become.... a tree. Worth hugging to save in many instances.
11:25 am
Allentowns administration shelled out sums of monies to a developmental rendering of a park that has still no fruitation to that particular piece of google maps colored in with a electronic crayon¿!)$ A cut and paste powerpoint presentation by said students would have been more entertaining as well as cost effective too¿!)$
The developmental circus of the triboro must continue as OZ hides bhind the curtain with props an circus sticks out in front, than there are the land appraisers faked factual numbers put to print a an acCUREt accounting thereof¿
Deed searchers needed no experiance needed¿¡ Americas treasure hunters wether that be land trusts, monitary trusts or anything else that can be plundered by the pirates of today¿¡
redd registered Republican independant
patent pending
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