York Town News
Old York center, proposed adjacent to Jefferds' Tavern, heads to planners
By Jennifer L. Saunders
YORK VILLAGE - When the Planning Board meets next week, one of the first items of business it will discuss is a preliminary proposal from the Old York Historical Society to build a new educational center adjacent to Jefferds' Tavern.Old York Historical Society Director Scott Stevens said the conceptual review, scheduled by the Planning Board as a presentation on a Jefferds' Tavern project from the First Parish Church and Old York, is similar to an earlier meeting between the organizations and the board.
"We've been working with a volunteer committee, a highly qualified group, for quite some time, modifying our plans," Stevens said of the time that has passed since the first conceptual review was held before the Planning Board back in 2004.
During that same time, Old York was able to rescue a 19th-century Eliot barn that was being torn down to make way for a new development in that town. The barn has remained in storage ever since, awaiting the day when it might be resurrected as the new education center at Old York. The center is to be located on the same parcel with Jefferds' Tavern.
The past two years have also allowed Old York to undertake a massive fundraising effort, with a goal of $2.8 million to build the center and continue the society's preservation and education initiatives.
Now, Stevens said, the time has come to share some new ideas with the Planning Board and get a sense of whether its members agree with the preliminary plans, at least in concept.
"We have a terrific landscape architect giving his time to share ideas with us," Stevens said, explaining a focus on such factors as general accessibility of the center, site layout and parking. "We're trying to make the site more attractive and also approachable and user-friendly."
Old York is also meeting with the First Parish Church, since the center is proposed for a parcel currently leased from the church, and has been working with an architect on how to best suit the interior of the building to its programming needs.
Back in 2004, when Old York first brought its conceptual plan to the Planning Board, no significant issues of concern were raised.
The Sept. 14 meeting, Stevens said, is an opportunity to be sure that is still the case as Old York begins to move forward through the planning and permitting process.
Planning Board review and approval is a requirement of the process, and will include opportunities for public input.
To date, Stevens said more than $2.2 million in commitments has been raised in the fundraising effort, with still more than $500,000 to go. On Friday, Sept. 29, Old York hopes to help close that gap a bit.
"We're going to have a gala at the Cliff House that will include a dinner, charity auction and dancing," Stevens said.
More on Old York's upcoming and ongoing events is available at www.oldyork.org.
And as for the education center?
"We're hoping to be doing something maybe as early as March," Stevens said, adding, "in the spring, we hope to be having a barn-raising."
