SPRING GROVE, Pa. — With permits issued for demolition, and in an effort to keep the sun from setting on the Hoke House in Spring Grove, borough leaders took action.
"We want to be leaders in this," Borough Manager Zach Gulden said. "We don’t want to think about the past. We want to move forward."
The borough council unanimously passed a preservation plan at Monday night's meeting.
Under the plan, the borough would pledge $50,000 to the House’s preservation on-site or relocation, with a total goal of $300,000 with aid from other organizations.
"We cannot do this alone," Gulden said. "$50,000 is nothing.”
It's a last stand to save the nearly three-century-old structure following support from the York County community.
"We’re happy that the borough council has listened to the citizens and put this item on their agenda tonight," Paul Nevin with Friends of the Hoke House said.
"In 1770, it was that important that it was on the Monocacy Trail," one York County resident pointed out during public comment.
The plan has multiple conditions, including that Rutter’s, who owns the land, be in agreement.
"You know it's really up to Rutter’s," Gullen said. "Rutter’s could kill this thing tomorrow."
Other conditions also include a timeline of one year, a nonprofit being the entity to collect pledges, accept donations, and apply for grants, and that the actual project is managed by a nonprofit.
"I think this is a good use of our community funds," Council President Rebecca Stauffer said.
Borough officials said Rutter’s has agreed to a meeting in which the borough will make the proposal, though no official date has been set.
As of Monday, the company had not yet picked up their demolition permit, and there’s still no word on what they want to do with the site.