LOWER MERION — Lower Merion’s historic Harriton House to undergo a conditions assessment.
Lower Merion Commissioners this past week approved a $59,500 contract with John Milner Architects, Inc. to conduct the conditions assessment for the Historic Harriton House and associated structures.
“Based upon their extensive experience in the successful completion of similar projects with sites of comparable time periods and use, it is the Selection Committee’s recommendation to award the Condition Assessment to John Milner Architects, Inc. at a cost of $59,500,” township officials wrote in a staff memo to the commissioners.
Eric Traub, director of finance for Lower Merion, said during a finance committee meeting, the township received four proposals that were below the $60,000 budget. Each of the proposals were within $4,000.
“They want a guiding document for future repairs and improvements to the facility, so they’re looking at the condition of the roofs, the various chimneys, the structural engineering of the facilities. Harriton House, 500 Harriton Road, is a township-owned facility that the Harriton Association operates for us as the historic structure,” said Donna Haller, director of Parks and Recreation for Lower Merion.
Four additional structures, such as the barn, are on the same property and are owned by the Association.
The historic Harriton House was originally built in 1704 by Welsh Quaker Rowland Ellis.
The property’s best-known resident was Charles Thomson, who served as secretary to the Continental Congresses.
Commissioner Jeremiah Woodring expressed support for the work but added that another township-owned building in his ward could use an assessment.
“I’m glad to see that assessments are being done on township buildings and whatnot and investment in community centers, and so I just hope that in the near future that, my colleagues here would help assist me in supporting an assessment being done on the Belmont Hills Community Center to see what potentially could be done with that facility as well,” Woodring said.
