Historical society's Hart property in Doylestown could be developed with dozens of homes

Chris Ullery, Bucks County Courier Times
Updated ·4 min read
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The Bucks County Historical Society is looking to sell a 24-acre Hart property near the on-ramp to southbound state Route 202 in Doylestown Township, with the possibility of a 36-unit housing development eventually being built there.

Historical society President and CEO Kyle McCoy was joined by Zaveta Custom Homes founder Rich Zaveta in presenting an early sketch plan at Tuesday night's supervisor meeting as an "introductory conversation" with officials and Hart property neighbors in the Doylestown Hunt housing development.

McCoy said the society has been discussing its long-term plans to sustain free and open acces to its primary properties: the Mercer Museum, in Doylestown Borough, and Fonthill Castle, in Doylestown Township.

Three buildings with 12 housing units each could be part of the redevelopment of the Hart Property in Doylestown Township as the Bucks County Historical Society considers selling the land.
Three buildings with 12 housing units each could be part of the redevelopment of the Hart Property in Doylestown Township as the Bucks County Historical Society considers selling the land.

"After six years of conversations, we have come to understand the need to divest ourselves of the Hart property from the perspective of using our own resources, than to assist the curation, the preservation of Fonthill Castle and Mercer Museum," McCoy said.

The plan is similar to another of Zaveta's projects in the township, Town’s Edge on Lower State Road, which cost about $1.2 million when finished. With construction costs rising since the pandemic, Zaveta estimated the development of the Hart propety could be as much as $1.5 million.

Neighbors of the property, which the historical society has owned at least since 2003, who showed up to last night's meeting were mostly opposed to adding homes to the area, with some suggesting that the society keep potential fundraising on the table as development talks continue.

The project, near Steeple Chase Drive, still has a very long way to go and McCoy said the society is willing to continue meeting with residents.

"This whole (presentation) was just to give an idea of this is where (the society is) going. Wherever that winds up has several hoops to jump through. We just realized and have decided as an organization that the two secondary properties need to feed the primary properties," McCoy told meeting attendees Tuesday.

One of the biggest hoops to get through, should the society proceed, is changing the zoning for the property.

The Hart property is currently zoned as institutional, which mainly just allows for the develpment for something like a school or museum and doesn't allow any residential uses like the one in the current sketch plan.

Outline of the Hart property in Doylestown Township, where a sketch plan discussion at tonight's supevisors' meeting has riled some neighbors concerned about housing and commercial development.
Outline of the Hart property in Doylestown Township, where a sketch plan discussion at tonight's supevisors' meeting has riled some neighbors concerned about housing and commercial development.

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Current zoning on the Hart property in Doylestown is very limited

All of Hart property at 2250 S. Easton Road is a forested area under the township’s I-2 zoning, or institutional use.

That means the entire property is subject to a very limited list of byright development uses. A school, library or museum would be allowed under the zoning, as would a municipal building or a community center.

As of now, most of the Hart property abuts the homes on Steeplechase Drive, Birdsong Way and Foxchase Lane.

While there are some commercial uses not far from the Hart property, like the Wawa gas station across from the Route 202 on ramp, most of that is on Main Street in Doylestown Borough.

The zoning district also comes with a few special development stipulations, including one that notes the overall purpose of the district is “preserving historical and cultural landmarks.”

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There’s also a rule that “no truck or maintenance vehicle and no materials or goods shall … be seen from a public street or property line.”

A zoning change would be needed to allow residential uses.

What does the Doylestown Historical Society have planned for Mercer Museum and Fonthill Castle?

Rendition of renovated wetlands on the grounds of Fonthill Castle. The castle, built between 1908-1912, was the home of Henry Chapman Mercer. Plans call for renovation of the castle and surrounding lands.
Rendition of renovated wetlands on the grounds of Fonthill Castle. The castle, built between 1908-1912, was the home of Henry Chapman Mercer. Plans call for renovation of the castle and surrounding lands.

The historical society, which also owns and operates the Mercer Museum in Doylestown Borough and Fonthill Castle in the township, received a $200,000 grant last year which included developing a master plan for the full 69-acre castle property.

McCoy, of the historical society, said in October 2022 that a major part of that plan looked to incorporating the forested area around the castle to possibly one day include a new, permanent educational center to host talks on nature, archaeology, and history, as well as private events.

Chris Ullery is the Philadelphia Hub Data Reporter for the USA Today Network. Reach him at cullery@couriertimes.com or find him on Twitter at @ulleryatinell.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Doylestown Historical Society eyes sale of land to aid Mercer, Fonthill