WEST CHESTER—Chester County is within the course of of buying the 2 properties that make up the Chester County Historical past Heart in a pleasant transfer that would see a part of the Division of Information and Information relocated. county information.
Final month, county commissioners handed a decision authorizing officers to start the method of negotiating phrases of buy and a sale-leaseback settlement between the county and the Historical past Heart, previously generally known as of Chester County Historic Society and positioned within the 200 block. of North Excessive Avenue within the middle of the borough.
“We’re solely on the dialogue stage on this, however it is smart in some ways,” the middle’s govt director, Connor Hepp, mentioned in an interview earlier this month. The Heart and Information Workplace, now positioned within the County Authorities Providers Heart, have lengthy been companions, with the Heart serving because the official administrator of the division.
“County has been an unimaginable accomplice for us, and we’re on the lookout for a chance to proceed that,” Hepp mentioned. When requested if the county transfer was seen as a menace to the middle’s future, he replied, “in no way.
“This dialog has all the time been about how the county can meet its personal wants, in addition to ours. They’ve simply been fantastic,” he exclaimed.
In its decision authorizing County Administrator Bobby Kagel and the County Legal professional’s Workplace to deal with the negotiations, no buy value was talked about.
The decision, handed unanimously, mentioned the county and the middle had agreed in precept to a proposed transaction whereby the county would buy the premises at 205 and 225 N. Excessive Avenue and lease a portion of the premises to the centre, with the remaining the phrases of the acquisition contract and the rental contract stay to be negotiated.
A county spokeswoman mentioned the county is monitoring properties attributable to anticipated workplace wants.
“In mild of the profitable transition to work practices that mix in-person, distant and telecommuting capabilities for its staff, the county is assessing its future area wants and figuring out totally different choices to fulfill these wants,” mentioned communications director Rebecca Mind mentioned in an e mail.
“The acquisition of the properties at present held by the Chester County Historical past Centre, which permits for the rental of a part of the premises to the Historical past Centre, gives a type of choices for future area necessities, whether or not both for our Archives and Information Providers division and/or different county departments,” she mentioned.
In line with its web site, the Chester County Historical past Heart was based in 1893 and spent its early years amassing gadgets of historic worth, dedicating historic markers and in search of everlasting residence.
“These years created the nucleus of the library’s present in depth collections, which as we speak embody greater than 500,000 manuscripts, 20,000 volumes, and what one Nationwide Genealogical Society Quarterly creator has known as ‘top-of-the-line collections of state newspaper clippings”.
In 1942, the then Historic Society moved to the historic Horticultural Corridor, a serpentine stone constructing throughout a state armory, including a wing for its increasing museum collections. The 1848 constructing was designed by architect Thomas U. Walter, who was additionally answerable for the historic Chester County Courthouse and the USA Capitol Dome.
The next years consolidated the concentrate on amassing regional furnishings, textiles, and ornamental arts, in addition to supplies representing all facets of life in southeastern Pennsylvania. Immediately, the museum’s assortment comprises over 80,000 artifacts.
In 1982, the Historic Society started a joint venture with the county authorities to manage the county archives, including 300 years of public information to its care, one of many most interesting and most complete collections of historic information within the county from the nation. He additionally created a photographic archive, which incorporates greater than 80,000 photographs courting again to the early 1840s.
In 1992, the middle bought the property adjoining to 205 N. Excessive Avenue, which was as soon as a part of the Chester County YMCA.
“The ensuing 56,000 sq. foot advanced has turn into a significant location for exhibition, assortment storage and analysis,” in line with the web site. The ability additionally allowed for a higher emphasis on instructional programming, making the middle considered one of Pennsylvania’s premier historical past museums and academic facilities with an expanded library and analysis area, 250-seat auditorium, and 7 exhibition galleries.
To contact editor Michael P. Rellahan, name 610-696-1544.
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