So… news out of Caln this morning is Lloyd Farmhouse is safe-ish for now. I say safe-ish because I trust neither the developer nor Caln Township. Maybe this time it will be different because Caln has a manager with a moral compass but who knows?
One photo is what Lloyd Farm in Caln used to look like – Next to it is today.
Main Line Health is interested in putting medical on PART of the property. I foolishly thought that they would carve off their part and do their thing and leave the Lloyd Farmhouse and land intact but that was just wishful thinking I guess?
More dirty deeds done dirt cheap on the part of the developer who has sat on this property??? And this was part of yet ANOTHER Penn Land grant and they have allowed an 18th century farmhouse to rot and be destroyed by vandals, and then there is the part Caln Township has played in this, right? Legally the house should have been secured, right? The township should have been on top of this right? The township should have been looking for a better solution, right?
Yeah, not so much, right?
The planned MOB (Medical Office Building) will be 4 stories high and residents say changing zoning from R4 that permits medical but also commercial? Residents fear the property owner / developer will come next with apartments or offices and get all of this and the house will be taken down? There’s a story behind all this isn’t there? There is always a story and as always with Caln there is zero transparency and mostly murky, right?
But hey Commissioner Lorraine Tindaro can live in her little house of hoarders and they at Caln look the other way right? Do any of those commissioners out there have clean hands? (HINT: buy them soap for their holiday gifts perhaps?)
Residents are further concerned that more is afoot. They say look at the proposal. They say it is very oddly drawn and interferes with the extension of GO Carlson Blvd to Rock Raymond Road that PennDot is doing for their expansion of 30 bypass? Its suspicious because they couldn’t explain it and why couldn’t it be explained? Does developer landowner have a secret pan?
GO Carlson Blvd is a road that runs parallel to Business 30 East to West. Lloyd will be cut off and the entrance moved to Rock Raymond Road and Rt 322/Manor Avenue and no one can explain that? Why???
The answer is it’s always fishy in Caln, right ?
GO TO THE SUPERVISORS MEETING! CALL YOUR FRIENDS AND REPORTERS.
And to be clear: if medical use was merely being carved out and the balance of the property was being carved out and house saved that would be different, but once again residents are waiting for the hidden shoe to drop in Caln once again. And if this is all true how cruel is it to use much needed medical in this part of the county as a Trojan horse for more development that no one needs on the rest of Lloyd Farm?
Caln Board of Commissioners Meeting is Thursday, September 26th 2024. 6 PM.
The notice on the township website starts with their projected end time of the meeting. I think that is done on purpose to confuse. The meeting starts at 6 PM. Show up a little earlier and get a good seat.
Bring your pitchfork. Actually kidding on the pitchfork, just SHOW UP. You seriously need to rally and pack the meeting.
Caln Municipal Building is 253 Municipal Drive in Thorndale.
If you care, show up. No excuses, no one knows if this will be it or not so no meeting skipping you have to show up if you care. No one likes to make the time for this stuff but if you live out there and you care or your historic preservationist and you care, show up.
https://www.calntownship.org/board-of-commissioners.html
I want you to see how bad it has gotten at Lloyd Farm in Caln Township.
A new photographer friend, Henry Alonzo Longabaugh, sent in photos.
This is again, land that was part of an original Penn land grant. This farm existed before the USA was a country.
As residents of Chester County, Pennsylvania, we really need to start standing up for these properties and open space better. We are falling down on the job, quite literally.
This is yet another reason why I am saying that for election 2024, we need to make development, over development, lack of historic preservation, not enough open, space, preservation, and not enough agricultural conservation in Pennsylvania counties known for farming election issues.
Enjoy and learn from the photos.
And because of a greedy developer, and that is an opinion that we are allowed to have under the U.S. Constitution, this is not only demolition by neglect, but quite frankly historic destruction. And Caln Township is allowing it.
1701 Olive in Coatesville. This is a Caln commissioner’s house is it not? How can her municipal friends ignore the way she is living? How can they complain about other properties and ignore this? It’s horrible. As in really bad.
How can the condition of this property be safe? Residents locally say it’s been like this for years. These photos were taken today as in this morning.
There’s letting things go overgrown, and then there’s this. This looks like an abandoned property doesn’t it? Only it’s not. So when Caln Township commissioners ballyhoo on occasionally at meetings lamenting how they want to make the township a better place how are they not seeing this place?
I felt badly for this politician when her husband/partner went to jail this year for child porn. (I now say husband/partner because if you look on the Chester county court records I don’t see a marriage license so I don’t know what they are) and I felt badly for her with that situation because I honestly didn’t think she knew that was going on, and I still don’t. But she cannot continue to live in a house with a property this condition.
I think this politician is actually a very sad human being. But living like this, just can’t be a good idea can it? Because when you see an exterior like this, you wonder what the interior is like don’t you?
Lorraine Tindaro obviously needs help. And no one can even see her house from the street and it’s not like she has a grand estate with a half mile driveway.
The condition of this property just keeps getting worse. And you have to wonder if everything going on inside that house is OK if this is what the exterior looks like don’t you? If her political friends care for her, they will get her property cleaned up for her and help her.
This gallery of photos to follow are from July 20:
People are all up in arms in Caln Township. You see, Caln Township’s Commissioner Lorraine Tindaro seems to be having optics issues and why? Well apparently her husband Michael Bedrick has a child pornography issue?
Now the ick factor on this is high. And it is rather curious that I can’t find any news reporting on this and usually child porn is like breaking news somewhere whether it’s local paper or TV. And of course, the added spice to this whole recipe of curious is the fact that this guy is married to a sitting commissioner in Caln Township, Lorraine Tindaro.
I will note that this local political couple showed up in dockets with something having to do with the Chester County Democratic Committee that was later withdrawn? What was this about?
I’m going to share the post of how I found out about this:
And yes years ago in 2007 this guy was in a photo in a Philadelphia Inquirer article. But it’s important to note he actually wasn’t featured in the article he was just a caption and a photo.
So I do think it’s curious that this wasn’t picked up anywhere, not even by insipid Patch.
I don’t know what to think of this Caln Commissioner, I never have. She never opens her mouth. She is innocent of these crimes perpetrated by her husband, isn’t she? She wasn’t charged with anything but as far as bad optics? It doesn’t get bigger than this. I actually feel sorry for Lorraine Tindaro because I just do. You marry someone, you love them, you dedicate your life to sharing it with them, and then this happens. Will she remain a commissioner or step away?
I remember the explosive effect on Radnor Township when now former commissioner and president of the board Phil Ahr was charged and sentenced because of child porn at a federal level in 2019 (read Department of Justice press release HERE.)
Phil Ahr’s actions affected his family, his community, the men and women he served Radnor with.
I am not going to pretend to understand why people like pornography at all. I’m not being a Puritan about this I just have never gotten it. And when it comes to child pornography, how can you take pleasure in watching a child somewhere being exploited like this?
So no, no media to date has covered this. And it’s like the big tomb of silence because I am sure Caln Township is trying to run as fast as they can from this at a municipal level, aren’t you?
We have to be clear that Commissioner Lorraine Tindaro isn’t guilty of anything other than bad optics. We also have to consider that she’s kind of a victim in this. I’ve been thinking about it and I do feel sorry for her, but I also have to wonder if because of the optics and because she’s a local politician, it might be better for her to step away and step down for any number of reasons at this time? She has served her community for many years correct? So maybe now it’s time for someone else to take her spot?
Anyway once again, curious and curiouser in Caln. People should be kind to Lorraine Tindaro even if it would probably be best IMHO if she steps away.
This world is crazy and sad. And this is really sad and disgusting.
I had someone reach out to me very recently, who was a descendent of the Newlin family who once lived at Ashbridge house on Indian Run Farm in Exton/West Whiteland. His name is Nick Schade and he has shared some photos that I will share at the bottom of what this used to be but now a few words about what it has become.
This was one of the broken down old beautiful Chester County farm houses I have been obsessed with over the past few years. This was the one that when you went into Main Street, looked like it was shrink wrapped in plastic so it could be shipped somewhere like a package I don’t know how else to describe it. I have been writing about this place for a few years, the last time in 2020.
I will be completely honest, and I never thought that this would ever be restored. But it has been. This next photo is another one from Bozzuto who was the developer.
Now I am not going to be a hypocrite, and change my tune and say I love the development around the farmhouse, because I most assuredly do not. First of all, I think there are too many apartment complexes being built out here and we don’t want to be at King of Prussia in Chester County. But it sure seems like that is the direction that everything is going, isn’t it? But I will say that I am honestly grateful that the rehab actually occurred.
It is so important for municipalities to see that adaptive reuse of old structures can occur. Like what finally happened here would be ideal for the Lloyd Farm House in Caln. Or the 18th century farmhouse on the property of the boat dealership that was Clews and Strawbridge in Frazer. Or what about the old farmhouse in Exton – you know 105 S. Whitford Road in Exton? Was part of Oaklands Estate originally and a familial/childhood home of a now retired and popular former Chester County State Representative?
I am also going to say that in spite of the insane amount of development in West Whiteland, it is also a municipality that has some mighty fine adaptive reuse and restoration of historic structures if they survive.
Back to Ashbridge House/Indian Run Farm. So the farmhouse is part of the development, and the old barn is World of Beer. The photos you will be seeing are from the Newlin family.
I am always grateful when these family members send me photos of these places I write about. Because when I see them as they were in my minds eye, and I imagine, it’s always so wonderful when I see actual photos if they exist to see that I wasn’t wrong in my imagining. It’s also cool since a lot of these families don’t have a lot of descendants left, or they don’t have descendants that know of once came from this area and lived in these great places.
The photos I am about to post start in the late 19th century and run through to the 1970s.
Thank you so much Nick for the photos and the prompt to post an update.
#thisplacematters
As the Saturday Night Live Church Lady would say “Isn’t that special?”
Do you see that screenshot above? That was sent to me by a Caln Township resident. They tried to join their municipality’s public meeting via Zoom and even via Zoom audio several times.
They are homeowners and taxpayers and they were denied access. And actually REMOVED when they briefly got it? Why were they denied access? That’s a very good question isn’t it?
Caln Township will undoubtedly claim a technical glitch, but I think they should just own their Pennsyltucky nasty politics, don’t you?
I have to ask how a meeting advertised as a PUBLIC meeting deny anyone admittance? I mean I have heard of people being removed from meetings AFTER causing a scene, but a member of the public, let alone a taxpayer and resident and dare I say it, senior citizen no less? So exclusionary practices, NOT open meetings, ageism, and sexism? My my my, right?
Dear readers has Caln just regained her title as among the most sleazy and dirty of Chester County municipalities?
#dirty #sleazy Caln….and magically at 8:20 PM when meeting is mostly over all of a sudden like magic they are allowed in? Come on now good citizens of Caln, do we REALLY believe this was an accident?
And now I hate to be repetitive, but the eyes of the area are once again peeking at Caln.
Taa Taa for now.
The Lloyd Farmhouse photo above is from 2019. Actually most of the photos I have access to are old photos. Also known as Valley Brook Farm, this should be a historic asset has been rotting for years. I haven’t written about it in a couple of years. There is still a developer who owns it and there’s still I guess a development planned? No one really knows much.
However I learned something this morning: apparently it has been reported that Lloyd farmhouse has a squatter or squatters? How is that even possible and does Caln Township give a crap?
Caln Township is an example of Pennsyltucky at it’s finest the way it is run, is it not? It has some new commissioners now but apparently they’re just as bad as the old supervisors they replaced, and that does include Democrats and yes I did say that out loud. Oh and I can have these opinions. They don’t like the first amendment much out there, but it’s allowed.
The site is still not secure which is something I just don’t understand on so many levels. From what I understand the developer at one point in time put logs across the front of the driveway I guess up to the farmhouse and now that is all just grown over, which makes this farmhouse even more remote so if there are squatters, in the case of a fire emergency or a medical emergency how difficult will it be to get first responders there?
And I thought abandoned/empty buildings were supposed to be secured? Why doesn’t Caln Township see to this? Why can’t police go out there are get rid of them? I mean it’s not like there is electricity, sewer, running water, anything out there in this abandoned 18th-century farmhouse is there?
And let’s talk about the fact that there is no running water or sewer etc. what happens if there are squatters and they go to the bathroom? Are they using camp toilets? If they are using camp toilets are they emptying them into nearby local creeks and water sources? It’s a valid question isn’t it? It doesn’t that go to a potential health department situation? Chester County has a health department so are they aware of this potential situation?
Is Chester county in general aware that this is not a secure site, that it’s a rotting historic asset, and because it has been left open and unsecured could be a danger?
I sadly question at this point now if Lloyd farmhouse can ever be saved. A lot of time and bad storms have transpired since The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote that article.
In 1991 there was a movie called The Super with Joe Pesci as a slumlord a judge made live in a run down building he owned. So in the Walter Mitty state of mind wouldn’t it be nice if some judge suggested that the Caln Township Commissioners had to live in Lloyd Farmhouse the way it is right now?
If there are squatters living in this farmhouse, it’s not the first abandoned structure in Chester County to have squatters. But in other townships they seem to take action and deal with these situations. Will Caln actually do anything? Who knows.
Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the old photos that exist over the past few years of the Lloyd farmhouse.
My friend Robin Ashby sent me some entirely too heartbreaking photos from Lloyd Farm. This is what he had to say to people about a visit there this weekend:
Historic Stewardship involves documenting a site before it becomes the next High Density housing project, raising awareness and speaking out – Nestled in Downingtown is a parcel dating back to Penn’s Land Grant Charter of the late 1600s. The ruins of the barn and outbuildings are stunning examples of stonework using Downingtown Blue Limestone from 1800 -1940, overgrown formal gardens in which one finds one of the largest (and oldest) Japanese Maples in Pennsylvania sit waiting to be brought back to life. The farmhouse is circa 1795 and is rapidly disintegrating, but has 8+ bedrooms and beautiful architectural elements.
This will shortly become high rise, high density commercial/residential housing for 1000+ new residents. The fields will be gone, the fox, deer and birds will find other habitat.
Of course, we have the ability to speak up and say that this doesn’t have to happen quite like this. Caln Township will discuss this project on February 12 at their meeting, DAHS (Downingtown Area Historical Society) suggests that you attend and listen.
What in the hell is wrong with Caln Township and whomever the developer is? Literally a week ago I wrote about this as then people were also inside the historic farmhouse on thr property because it was wide open and not properly secured.
It’s like someone doesn’t want this farmhouse to survive do they?
Japanese Maples are among my favorite trees! And who knew this property had the oldest one? Or had at one time such fabulous gardens? Who has old garden photos to share???
Here is the info on the upcoming meeting:
And again, many thanks to Robin Ashby for the photos. Here are some more:
Reader submitted photo. Lloyd Farm’s farmhouse. 2019
I received a message overnight:
I am hearing from neighbors (across from Lloyd house) the developer isn’t tearing the circa 1795 house down. I hope that’s true! A bunch of us walked the house. Teens have vandalized it yet the house is solid. Something like 9 bedrooms!!
I met a lady in town whose mother grew up there. Her mother’s mother died when she was young so the father took a job at Lloyd farm taking care of the stables and horses and they lived in the house with the Lloyd family! (We assume based on dates it was the Lloyd family)
Sending photos I took. It’s such a huge old house.
Abandoned Steve photography documents old Chester county houses before they’re torn down. He took photos as well. His are better than mine.
Lloyd Farm. Sigh.
In December 2018 I had posted about Lloyd farm in Caln being at risk. Sources tell me that they had quite the crown turn out the other evening who turned out to protest this?
Things that people are worried about include will that historic farmhouse be torn down no matter what? Is it true that farmhouse does indeed have a fairly new roof and if this land was part of a William Penn Land Grant as in the guy who settled PA, how can this even happen? And what about the component of the big pipeline easement? How should that affect density of any development plan?
Things also being wondered about is this developer just looking for plan approvals to flip the parcel with approvals to yet another developer? And is this developer the guy who owns Suburban Propane?
Is it true that Caln’s solicitor was snippy with residents? And isn’t she the same gal who USED to hold or holds a similar position in West Goshen? East Goshen? Does something in Easttown and more places? Why does she seem so pro-development? Is she going to be mad I ask these questions? Aren’t we allowed to ask these questions? Will she try to stop me from asking these very reasonable questions?
And as for the category of “in the audience” who was the mystery attorney who seemed to object to some community flyer? Who was he there for? Apparently they also objected to residents concerned about development jacking up traffic?
So the meeting was paused until January, 2019, correct? And then there was this update January 5th that a reader posted:
Update on the Lloyd Farm. There is no public hearing being rescheduled. The people have spoken and the Commissioners have heard you! While this plan isn’t going to get through, REGAL WILL BE BACK. As quickly as they can. Yes they have a right to develop land the own and paid $4.6M dollars for. But they need to do it in a manner that is acceptable to the Caln Twp residents. We will be watching and reporting so keep a look out for news here and on www.calnwatch.info
I was driving by Lloyd Avenue while in Downingtown on Saturday with a friend, so is this part of that parcel? See below:
Is this part of “Lloyd Farm”?
So a recap is in order before I press on, ok?
Super historic. Known as the “Lloyd Farm”, “Valley Brook Farm” has a fire I would call mysterious a few years ago? Seriously.
Then I hit Google and oh the things I found including this amazing history compiled by someone named Edward G. Lendrat on the West Chester University Old Caln Historical Society Collection. Caln Township has this buried on their website.
Pretty crazy historic, and I understand there was a fire, but is super-sized developement all Caln Township can think is right for this property??? I am told the developer who has bought the “Lloyd Farm” was proposing 5 story apartment buildings, and commercial where there is NO zoning for it? So now what?
So if I read the history of the property correctly, it dates back to the late 1600s and a Penn Land Grant? And by 1996 it was owned by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia? (Now I make no secret of my disdain of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and their pedophile priest problems of recent past. Sorry, I digress again…)
Ironically something I wasn’t looking for with regard to this property but seemed to have stumbled upon is a 2015 pipeline easement between the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and Columbia Gas. So umm, high density development being proposed and a pipeline? NICE, right?
(See my prior post for links to the history I found and some document on the easement.)
Again I will tell you I have never been on this property. But people near it have, which is how I was sent the photos I am sharing.
Do I have the answers as to what to do with this property? Sadly, no. Don’t know that area well enough. But if there is a pipeline easement, maybe the developer should go light on the development?
Again, how many cram plan developments does one county need? Who is driving this?
Chester County, we can’t just keep sitting idly by as chuck after chunk of land gets carved up. Once open space is gone, it’s gone. Once history is gone, it’s gone.
They had me with part of a Penn Land Grant. That is older than the American Revolution and is so the literal founding and early settlers.
Here is a snippet off of Wikipedia – sorry – it saves me time:
The Province of Pennsylvania, also known as the Pennsylvania Colony, was founded in English North America by William Penn on March 4, 1681 as dictated in a royal charter granted by King Charles II. The name Pennsylvania, which translates roughly as “Penn’s Woods”,[1] was created by combining the Penn surname (in honor of William’s father, Admiral Sir William Penn) with the Latin word sylvania, meaning “forest land”. The Province of Pennsylvania was one of the two major Restoration colonies, the other being the Province of Carolina. The proprietary colony‘s charter remained in the hands of the Penn family until the American Revolution, when the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was created and became one of the original thirteen states. “The lower counties on Delaware”, a separate colony within the province, would breakaway during the American Revolution as “the Delaware State” and also be one of the original thirteen states.
Also check out places like the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission’s website. Land that was part of any Penn Land Grant is extraordinarily historically significant. Residents near and far and hsitorians should take note and attend meetings. Media local and regional might not find history and land development sexy, but they also need to get on the stick here. One blip on this important topic was in the Daily Local in early December.
According to the Caln Watch Website there is a meeting Tuesday, February 12 at the Thorndale Fire Hall 3611 Lincoln Hwy, Thorndale, PA 19372 – 6pm to 8pm (Parking located in school lot):
Soooo…among the questions that should be asked and that Caln Township and this developer needs to address is are they SAVING the historic farmhouse for real? If so enough with the demolition by neglect, right? If people are sending me interior photos, then the building is not properly secured and while safe for now the longer it is exposed to punk ass vandals and the elements is not good, correct?
So the Daily Local seems to indicate that Caln Township is not really particularly chatty on the topic of Penn Land Grant becomes development and why is that?
They did post a teensy 2/1/2019 update on this issue:
Sooooo…my suggestion? Contact these folks. Make your opinions known. Flood meetings with bodies. Reach out to public officials and those who want to be in office or ummm have aspirations for higher office who are in local office now. Reach out to any historic preservation or media contacts you have.
Caln officials:
Jennifer Breton jbreton@calntownship.org
George Chambers gchambers@calntownship.org
Josh Young jyoung@calntownship.org
John Contento jcontento@calntownship.org
Lorraine Tindaro ltindaro@calntownship.org
Always cc info@calntownship.org
It borders Downingtown, right?
Downingtown Mayor Josh Maxwell would be on my list and he wishes to be a Chester County Commissioner. Jmaxwell@Downingtown.org
Downingtown Borough Council:
Borough Council
Anthony Gazzerro, President
Ward: West
Term Expires: 2021
Contact: agazzerro@downingtown.org
Alex Rakoff, Vice President
Ward: East
Term Expires: 2019
Contact: arakoff@downingtown.org
Phil Dague – Councilperson
Ward: East
Term Expires: 2019
Contact: pdague@downingtown.org
Jeff Thomas, Councilperson
Ward: West
Term Expires: 2019
Contact: jthomas@downingtown.org
Ann Feldman, Councilperson
Ward: East
Term Expires: 2021
Contact: 610-518-5615
afeldman@downingtown.org
Patricia McGlone, Councilperson
Ward: West
Term Expires: 2021
Contact: pmcglone@downingtown.org
The Chester County Planning Commission:
Brian N. O’Leary, AICP,
Executive Director
Carol Stauffer, AICP,
Assistant Director
(P) 610-344-6285
(F) 610-344-6515
CLICK HERE FOR ENTIRE STAFF DIRECTORY. You never know who you may know, right?
Like Crebilly (in Westtown and still at risk) this is a call to arms. (See Crebilly Farm Friends and Neighbors for Crebilly for more on that issue.)
Also at issue and not in Caln and not Lloyd Farm but I must mention given the shared solicitor?
Those misguided supervisors are voting on higher density B.S. zoning thing I never thought I would see in that township on Tuesday February 5th. I heard and was not surprised to hear they refused a resident petition against this? The East Goshen meeting starts at 7 PM. The agenda is posted and can be read HERE. People and media should attend that as well and read the packet linked here. (Also on Tuesday in East Goshen? A chicken ordinance. I find it ironic that chickens have such issues in a township that was once also a lot of farms. Yes, I am pro-chicken although I personally keep none.)
Why is this a call for arms? Simple. Chester County is groaning and suffering under the weight of over development and it needs to slow down or even stop for a good long while. Just this weekend I was in Glenmoore for example. They seem to suffer from lots and lots of power outages. Locals speculate part of the cause is the infrastructure can’t keep up with the pace of development.
Moderation is the key to true and actual smart growth. Only we don’t see that any longer. There is limited respect for the past and the architectural heritage of Chester County. Just like there is lip service paid to open space and agricultural preservation at times. It’s great when small parcels are preserved and handed down to the next generation, but what about these big parcels? Parcels like Crebilly and Lloyd farm are what a lot of our county was like for a very long time.
Now I actually do believe progress has a place but it’s the vision of progress I take issue with. Progress doesn’t have to hurt and wanton development hurts. We can’t support it long-term and by the time a lot of folks figure that out, the developers and current elected and appointed officials will be long gone, correct? As a county we have to look past the damn ratables that elected and appointed officials salivate over. They are a short-term financial gain if a gain at all since is it not true sometimes the ratables are not what people thought they would be?
Maybe some do not like my opinions, but I am entitled to them. Not every square inch should be developed. Not every square inch needs to be developed. Y’all aren’t going to get your veggies off the roof of places like Whole Foods are you?
Farms, open space, history need to be respected and preserved. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. What do you as a resident want the future to look like? Lots of Tyvec wrapped plastic beige boxes? More stucco McMansion horror show stories? Human warehouses for seniors and others? More ugly strip malls? The end of Main Street? Constipated bits of “open space” which is usually land that is not able to be developed?
Tick tock Chester County, tick tock.
Reader submitted photo Lloyd Farm 2019
