This afternoon was the long awaited ribbon-cutting of the new West Whiteland Township Public Works complex on Valley Creek Boulevard.
It was a nice afternoon with members of the public and public works. Yes I was supposed to go…and I forgot. Life gets busy and I just plain forgot. Thanks to Bill Rettew of The Daily Local I have photos to share with everyone!
Congratulations West Whiteland Township!
I have literally lost count of how many times I have written about this house. I’m speaking about the Joseph Price House in West Whiteland Township, Chester County. Located at the corner of Clover Mill Road and S. Whitford Rd. in Exton the address is 401 Clover Mill Rd.
This is a historic asset that is rotting day by day, week by week, year by year. This home is owned by two older gentleman that I assume bought it as as an investment property only nothing has ever happened. It just rotted.
This house is known as a rural or Queen Ann Gothic. It was built in 1878 and altered in 1894. It is constructed of quarried green serpentine limestone that was quarried locally.
I have known of several people in the past few years who have tried to make a deal with the owners to buy it and save it.
It could have so many adaptive reuses, it could also be a single-family home again. I think it would make a great boutique bed and breakfast AND as there is one down the street so there is a market for this.
The urban explorer known as Abandoned Steve had written about this house in the fall and there was a video. The video has since disappeared.
I really wish the video had not disappeared because it gave an accurate account of what the interior of the house was like as well as the fact that it was not a secured location. Sure houses can be empty, but don’t they also legally have to be secure?
I received a tip from another urban explorer letting me know that the interior of the house seems to be getting cleaned out. Not necessarily cleaned up but cleaned out so that could mean any number of things.
At the top of the wish list is it’s being cleaned out to sell.
At the bottom of the wish list is it’s being cleaned out so someone can file a demolition permit.
Also on the list is just the thought wrinkling my brain is someone simply stealing from this house because it’s not secure? (I mean, obviously it’s not secure if urban explorers aren’t really having any difficulty entering the premises, right?)
Now, honestly? I would not enter the premises unless I had someone in an official capacity with me and I had permission. I’ve actually wanted to do that for years to photograph the inside before it disappears. Because I really feel unless something happens, it will disappear.
The Joseph Price House is a very unique and special piece of County history and architecture.
In the fall when I saw the video from Abandoned Steve Exploration, I forwarded that video to someone on the West Whiteland Historic Commission whose response was nothing short of snotful after I contacted them a week later to make sure they had received the video after not even receiving a courtesy acknowledgment of receipt of it. I found that rather disappointing personally, but hey, I tried. I do believe that that this historic commission overall is interested in preserving this property. Obviously I just contacted the wrong person.
There have been quite a few urban explorers in and out of this house. None of them want to see the house disappear. Every single one of them says how fabulous this house is and how it could be saved.
As a matter of fact, one has sent me video snippets and there are videos coming the third week in March called Abandoned Fantasies. They are combining actual footage of the house with software that shows you what the house might look like if it was renovated and restored. It takes urban exploration to the next level and I hope it encourages people to have a vision of what can happen if you restore an old house.
So I’m voicing concern yet again this morning about this beautiful house.
The Joseph Price House needs to be saved. It’s pretty much that simple.
#thisplacematters
If the house is being cleaned out for some reason, I hope the things that were original to the house like some of the furniture that I have seen in urban explorer videos and photographs are not just disappeared forever.
Above are screenshots of what was push button published on Vista Today by some woman named Ashley Pierce, who ironically has a full time gig as paid staff for the Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce in Coatesville.
I will now share with you all with the ACTUAL Daily Local News article written by Bill Rettew:
By Bill Rettew | wrettew@dailylocal.com | Daily Local News
UPDATED: February 14, 2025 at 12:08 PM EST
I would like to know WHERE in the Daily Local News article that Vista Today’s Ashley Pierce who works as paid full time staff (Communications and Membership Coordinator) at the Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce sees that the reporter actually said that West Whiteland blocked demolition and development of the decrepit Exton mall? Because someone with a communications position one would hope had a better grasp of just plain reading an article?
What happened last week was a public hearing for an ordinance amendment in West Whiteland pertaining to a West Whiteland Township zoning ordinance, correct?
Quite literally the recommended motion was to tweak the zoning, right? It was advertised etc properly, correct? Wasn’t it discussed at a meeting towards end of 2024? Aren’t municipalities allowed to tweak zoning? And again, where did West Whiteland say they were blocking a demolition or development? Where did the reporter in The Daily Local say that? Does Ashley Pierce have imaginary friends she plays with still too?
You know sometimes I think Vista Today and the various other publications under their umbrella are ok, but the thing is this; what are they actually writing and researching? Are they just a news aggregator? It’s confusing, right? When they first started they did have some original content but now not so much?
Here is how they self-describe (and visit American Community Journals their “parent” so to speak):
So they aim to make a positive impact? How is oddly interpolating what a local paper’s reporter wrote and not accurately representing what West Whiteland did a positive impact? Funny how a news aggregator is becoming the news but not necessarily perhaps how originally intended?
Here is a YouTube that Vista had in their piece:
And I found this video from a couple of months ago:
Now when this mall was in it’s heyday, I was on the Main Line. We went to King of Prussia or took the train into Philadelphia. I do remember coming out here for stores in a strip mall. It has been too long but it was I want to say it was when Exton Crossing was built because a friend of mine at the time had an older sister who when newly married was living in Exton Station which was new at the time and not completely built. I don’t remember what strip mall, honestly. I think maybe where the Kohl’s is today.
Anyway, I think Vista Today owes West Whiteland and the Daily Local reporter an apology. Maybe they should go for more original content versus sharing everything from everyone else all of the time?
Here are two recordings from the West Whiteland Zoom on this that were made the night of the contentious meeting:
And dayummmm, West Whiteland JUST put out a press release on this. After I share that I will post things I found pertaining to the Exton Mall in deeds etc. It’s not just one parcel. And do any of you see new ownership reflected yet? I didn’t so I guess it is still in process? Whatever, this is kind of mall drama and the sad thing is an ordinance change is not prohibiting development or a mall demolition is it? And a final note is simply to ask if it is well past time for the Building and Planning guy Weller to retire?
Thanks for stopping by.
In April, it’s EIGHT years. I have been writing about this for eight years. I don’t even know how many times I’ve written about Anna Maciejewska at this point.
Eight years of nothing much. This case has gone through and has seemingly been forgotten by now three District Attorneys in Chester County.
Eight years of wondering what the Pennsylvania State Police are doing or have done.
Eight years of her husband Allen Gould being a person of interest unless the police have released him from that category?
I mean, I know the wheels of justice are slow, but do the wheels of justice even give a shit about this anymore? And yes I cursed.
This is also eight years of a little boy not having a mother in his life and he’s probably forgotten her voice by now don’t you think?
I’m writing about this again because there’s a new video out about it. I’m not sure how I feel about the video because one of the things that this podcaster mentioned is that Anna was jealous of her son and that was a reason for a bad marriage? I think that’s a bit of a reach. The woman sadly also is probably not familiar with the area because she conflated Malvern in Charlestown Township where Anna lived with Malvern Borough.
Malvern is a name assigned to areas in multiple municipalities which is separate from Malvern Borough. She conflated all of that into Malvern Borough. Also, we’re not a suburb of Philadelphia we’re Chester County. Development being what it is we have become more of a suitcase, community for major metropolitan areas, yes, but there’s plenty of business out here in its own, right. Anna Maciejewska lived in Malvern Charlestown Township. Malvern also exists in Willistown, East Whiteland, and Tredyffrin.
It’s now been eight years and this has gone through three district attorneys and the same old state police. It’s like nobody cares anymore.
Do I think like this woman seems to think the visits to Poland were unusual? Well, maybe if she had former Polish natives as friends she would see how normal it is my friends go once a year for a fairly long chunk of time usually in the summer, they take their children. They take their spouses. Sometimes they don’t take their spouses, but they go home to spend time with family and to give their children exposure to their Polish heritage.
Do I think that she was going to run away with her child to Poland to escape a bad marriage? No, I don’t at all. This is a woman who owned two houses. And people said early on that she was the money in the relationship. The properties are still in her name.
And the new podcaster seemed to leave the fact that Anna’s s parents had to fight to get visitation with their grandson. There’s a court record. So I wonder how often Anna‘s Polish family has been able to see her son in the last eight years?
so even if I don’t really agree with everything in this new podcast, I am grateful that the woman did it because it keeps Anna Maciejewska’s name out there.
Anna is still missing and I can’t even think of how long it’s been since we’ve heard from the Chester County District Attorney’s office let alone the State Police. Because Anna still had a property in West Whiteland Township, I wonder if their detectives could take a fresh look at this? Do the State Police have other investigators who could take a fresh look? Outside forensic investigators? A profiler of some sort?
Again, I never knew Anna. But she’s someone who belongs to all of us in the community out here at this point.
I am thinking of devoting my time on the Barry Dee show All Politics are Local on WCHE next week on this. and the funny thing is Barry and I had talked about this before. I saw this new podcast. She’s just been on my mind because we know the anniversary of her disappearing is coming up.
Anna deserves justice and her family deserves closure. Say her name.
Anna Maciejewska is still missing.
I have given up counting the number of blog posts just about the Joseph Price house in Exton. It’s the house at the corner of S. Whitford Rd. and Clover Hill Road. It’s a gorgeous house.
For years many of us have been concerned because there’s nobody living there and we feel that people have been getting in. There’s a new video from Abandoned Steve and I am very grateful to whoever this videographer is because it shows West Whiteland Township the exact state of this historic asset, and this is a federally listed historic property.
I actually know people who have tried to make a deal to buy this house. I also have been told that people on the West Whiteland Historic Commission have been trying to find a preservation buyer haven’t they? But things don’t seem to be as simple as that do they?
Can we just ask the question why is it that the two owners of this property who have never done anything with the house? It seem to be unable to let it go and are just letting it rot? Why why why why?
Anyway, I hope this video will spur people into convincing these owners to sell to a preservation buyer, etc. and I think West Whiteland needs to make sure this property is properly secured.
I’m having a big I told you so moment now. When I had written about this and said that I had a couple of inside photos that somebody had sent me from like a year or two ago, people argued up down and sideways that the house was occupied.
Well now?
Once again, trash is a topic of conversation literally in West Whiteland. Tonight’s board meeting also has some thing about excepting or rejecting A.J Blosenski’s latest contract. Forget about the fact that a have literally done a crap job everywhere for the past couple of years. Focus on the fact that they are talking a significant cost increase. Add to the conversation that one supervisor has been working to prove that the whole concept of going in house with trash means and how it can work and save money. But you have two of the supervisors who are townhouse development dwellers whom I think do not get it. And the one supervisor lives in a development that has private hauling, so she literally has zero clue as to the reality of living with AJ Blosenski now owned by Waste Connections. That being said she loves to ask for “data” to study while she contemplates her navel so she should try this on for size: there is a class action suit against Blosenski now. Possibly multiple class actions.
https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/us-dis-crt-ed-pen/116103432.html
https://www.ajbclassactionsettlement.com
See next screenshots:
I will be honest when I lived in a municipality that had their own refuse removal, it worked better. Things weren’t missed, if something happened you could speak to a real person, etc. And it was less expensive in the end then having to pay for private trash removal.
Class action suits heating up means that the litigation costs get passed through to customers, including municipalities, which means taxpayers in said municipalities are also carrying the water on this.
Those postcards were received today by Tredyffrin residents, so you know sooner or later it will make it’s way around.
I will leave you with the numbers on A.J. Blosenski. And I will QUOTE West Whiteland Township:
For comparison, the current contracted rate for 2024 is $800,245. The proposed 2026 rate of $1,454,399.96 represents an 81.7% increase in hauling costs.
West Whiteland residents do you want an increase of 81.7 % ? I wouldn’t.
The meeting is this evening September 25th at 6:30 PM. You can go in person to 101 Commerce Drive in Exton or you can attend by zoom. Here is the packet link which includes zoom link at the top:
https://www.westwhiteland.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09252024-1373
Every single time I bring up this topic I get abuse or just comments that are nasty. I think these people need to grow up and realize that the reason the signs went up is based on immediate neighbor complaints to West Whiteland regarding the people attending events at this bar creating dangerous situations on the roads.
It really is that simple. And when the problem was first discussed, people did ask the bar owners or managers (can’t say for sure whom because I wasn’t there) about helping them get an arrangement for a satellite parking lot so they could have a shuttle or a valet, and they said it wasn’t necessary in essence.
Well obviously it is necessary. And if they are indeed keeping to their actual capacity inside, they need more parking outside.
A comment I received recently:
That’s sad. They have an event that is so popular on Monday nights that the parking lot over flows out onto the street. Folks travel from out of town to participate. Now where will they park. I say residents should not call and let a business thrive….
You see that photo taken recently after the no parking signs went up? It was taken the evening of July 12. I would think it was safe to assume that this business is thriving enough that the owners of this bar who also own other bars in West Chester Borough, and are getting ready to open something else would have the resources for valet parking and a satellite parking lot, and or a satellite parking lot with a shuttle.
The Brickette to my knowledge has not had residents file complaints against them as a nuisance bar with the PA LCB. And all it takes is an anonymous phone call to their hotline:1-800-932-0602 or you can submit a complaint online: https://www.pa.gov/en/agencies/psp/contact-psp/bureau-and-office-directory/liquor-control-enforcement/report-a-violation.html
Instead, all the residents are asking is to be treated with respect. And it’s to be treated with respect predominantly by the bar patrons, and those same bar patrons should also treat the no parking signs with respect unless of course they’re viewing the parking tickets as paid parking costs?
I do think that the Brickette is trying in some areas to do the right thing based on a very recent (July 3rd) Instagram post:
What they say is:
Policy Update:
Hello everyone, we wanted to make you aware of an update to our policy regarding minors.
1. No one under 21 unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, per PA State Law – 40 Pa. Code ss 5.321
2. No one under 21 years of age after 5 PM – NO EXCEPTIONS.
This includes all live music and events, such as cornhole and line dancing.
As of yesterday, West Whiteland also put up No Parking signs on the part of Sorber Drive that is in their municipality. That is 200 feet. The rest of Sorber is the responsibility of West Goshen Township, and they only seemed concerned lately about threatening residents with police removal at meetings. (Yes that happened, check their meeting recordings right?)
West Whiteland also has NO PARKING signs on BOTH sides of 100. Residents are urged to call the police if they see people parking in defiance of the signs because West Whiteland is a big township, and the police cannot be everywhere at once although they do drive-bys here.
Now back to the people who don’t like when I write about this. One person is an engineer in who does a lot of work for developers, and while not naming names, you see them on the bottom of plans submitted at public meetings in many townships.
This person is very big on having their opinion heard, which I don’t have a problem with, but this person instead seems to be making a hobby out of social media platform hopping to essentially harass me for my opinion on anything else I might write about as in not just this.
That is not just exercising “opinion”. Behavior like that is distinctly uncomfortable because you have to scratch your head with the attention on me as just one woman, don’t you? Why not just scroll by anything he sees that I might write since he knows he doesn’t like my opinion?
And then there all the other opinions on this topic. And a lot of it is derogatory attention directed at me personally when I didn’t originate the problem.
I am writing about the problem because I have lived in small neighborhoods which have faced issues from neighboring commercial communities that were not resolved until there was a crisis point.
All West Whiteland is trying to do (and the state for that matter) is protect the neighbors and the patrons of the Brickette Lounge. People might think it’s benign to just park all over the place like this, but it actually isn’t. What is being attempted here by the signage is to avoid accidents, harm or loss of human life and that’s not a bad thing. it’s actually a really good thing.
And I can see by that post from July 3 that this bar posted that they are trying to follow the law, and that is also a very good thing. But now what we ask of them is to truly get a satellite parking lot that they can do valet parking or shuttle parking with. That will handle the overflow and keep people from parking where they should not park and keep everyone hopefully safe. I see this all the time where they don’t have much room for parking.
Thanks for stopping by. If you don’t like my opinions, that’s fine you can read someone else with whom you are more comfortable.
Apparently to Brickette Lounge patrons, “No Parking” signs are for other people.
A resident just sent me this who lives near The Brickette. They are calling West Whiteland Police now. Photo was taken at 10:15 PM I guess.
As was the case on Wednesday evening, West Whiteland police is sending someone out now, and these people will be ticketed.
West Whiteland ticketed on Wednesday as well. Those cars you can see in the photo that will be at the very bottom of this post.
The neighbor who saw this tonight said they just can’t believe how blatant it is that they are just parking in between the “no parking” signs.
Of course recently the company which owns The Brickette (3 West Hospitality) was in the news chatter again about their next place called Jolene’s, opening soon. So maybe (just spit balling here), just maybe, 3 West Hospitality could hire a valet service and/or a satellite lot with a shuttle?
It’s becoming more and more obvious that whatever the capacity is inside, isn’t matching the parking outside. And they need to come to a solution. Or they should want to come to a solution.
West Whiteland Police are there now. And no, I didn’t call them.
Thanks for stopping by.
The other day I posted one West Whiteland was putting up the NO PARKING signs on Route 100. It’s pretty simple: it’s not about depriving small businesses of anything, it’s common sense and safety.
(Besides if you own three or four other bars, are you still a “small business”?)
Anyway, the amount of ridiculous commentary from what can only be described as a great intelligentsia blaming it all on me (of course), when all I’ve done is write about it, made me think well some will just ignore the signage. Of course, human nature, dictates it would be sooner rather than later note the photo above. I understand they were ticketed.
But for these people, no parking will always be for other people.
So I’m sure soon as I hit publish on this post the comments will all start again about me being on American and horrible etc. People? I don’t work for West Whiteland Township. I don’t work for West Whiteland Township. Police. I don’t work for the Pennsylvania department of transportation, either.
And interestingly enough, the types of comments always being left about this and people wonder why middle school kids are harassing and torturing teachers on TikTok? Yep, but I am sure someone will blame me for that too since it is always easier to blame the blogger or whomever thinks your comments are ridiculous, right?
But back to The Brickette. This bar if they wanted to come to some kind of an arrangement for satellite parking and a shuttle/valet service on these super busy nights. Even if it’s as busy as this every night, they could still come up with something, they are choosing not to.
And for the residents on Sorber Drive behind The Brickette, I don’t believe you are in West Whiteland Township. I believe you are in West Goshen Township which means you have to go to your township and speak up at a public meeting and ask them to do something about the parking. But don’t hold your breath, West Goshen isn’t proactive for residents, are they?
Now I am going to ask a basic thing about The Brickette. What is their actual capacity? I ask because there was an article in the Daily Local they were getting ready to open.
Honky Tonk Brickette Lounge reopens in West Whiteland
By BILL RETTEW | wrettew@dailylocal.com | Daily Local News
PUBLISHED: November 4, 2022 at 12:56 p.m. | UPDATED: November 4, 2022 at 1:26 p.m.
WEST WHITELAND — With a nod to the past, and a two-step leap into the future, the classic Texas-style Honky Tonk joint called the Brickette Lounge, is back.
Historically, the Brickette Lounge, at 1339 Pottstown Pike, leaned country, with weekly line dancing, live music and DJs. All that will return.
Temporarily closed in July, the “Brick” is leaning even further to all things Texas, with the addition of two massive stick-fired BBQ pits built from decommissioned 1,000 gallon propane tanks.
The menu will be fairly simple with six meats, all cooked over oak and sold by the pound, along with six sides. As the smell of cooking BBQ wafts over the new patio, with the addition of new picnic tables and two seater tables outside, the game corn hole can be enjoyed. A custom fabricated fire pit will give visitors a chance to congregate and watch the sun set.
The interior is decorated with vintage beer signs, lots of neon, pool tables and a 1940s antique shuffle board table.
While the Brickette Lounge no longer sells breakfast, the new owners proudly display on a wall a menu from 1963…The Brick reopened Friday night. 3 West Hospitality also owns the Square Bar and Slow Hand restaurants, in West Chester.
The honky tonk can seat 38 at the bar and has approximately 70 seats overall.
So what is the capacity here altogether? And please *note* before everybody jumps down my throat I am not saying they are over capacity because I am not saying that. I am only asking what the entire capacity of the place is? Does the number of parking spaces available match capacity?
I think the reason I’m asking about the capacity is perhaps that is even more of an argument given the success of the business that they spring for valet or remote parking with a shuttle?
Anyway, that is all on this for today.
Aesop says if you park where it says “No Parking” you will get a ticket. That has nothing to do with “hurting” a small business so some people need to grow up.
A few months ago now I posted the above photo showing where people were parking for the brickette lounge on Old Route 100 / Pottstown Pike.
I have written about this topic before, because I thought the parking was nuts, and the residents on Kirkland and surrounding streets can attest to this craziness because they live it.
So the first, no parking zones went up on Kirkland. As of early this morning, the signs went up on 100.
I hope this helps the residents. If you see 100 all parked up, you can call the police now. If you see Kirkland all parked up, you can call the police now as everyone already knows if you see Sorber all parked up that is I think West Goshen and they have to deal with it.
