The oldest building in West Easton will soon be demolished.
Developer Abe Atiyeh, who purchased the Chipman Mill property and all that resides on it, is seeking a demolition permit to bring down the Odenwelder house located on the property.
The Odenwelder Farm House was built by Philip Odenwelder shortly after he purchased 500 acres from Garett Moor in 1772. Mr. Moor had purchased the land from James Hamilton, who purchased the land from the William Penn heirs in 1737.
After the Chipman’s purchased the property the house became part of the Chipman Mill complex and served as their offices.
In the early 1920s the building was used as the Continuation School and following that, as an apartment building.
When Reda Sports Group bought the property the Odenwelder house had fallen into disrepair and Reda Sports invested money to restore it to its original elegance. Reda Sports then used it as a guest home for visitors. The picture above shows the building as it looked after the restoration was completed around 1992.
Following Reda Sports Group shutting down operations in West Easton the building wasn’t maintained and was subjected to vandalism while the property awaited a buyer.
That buyer was Developer Abe Atiyeh who, when applying for Zoning variances to create a DUI Center, voiced grand visions of moving the building to a different location where it could be seen, as well as other unfulfilled visions. None of it was committed in writing, of course.
The relationship between Mr. Atiyeh and West Easton isn’t as rosy as it was back in 2012, when West Easton and county representatives patted themselves on the back for the “deal” worked out in opening the DUI Center. Atiyeh is now suing West Easton after his 176-bed Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center proposal was denied.
While it is disturbing that the building and a piece of history will be destroyed, it sits on private property and Mr. Atiyeh is within his rights to demolish what he owns if he has acquired the proper permits and no zoning law is violated.
Thus far, no listing of the Odenwelder home has been found in any registry of protected historical landmarks. Without a significant amount of money committed by the owner to restore it, it will continue to deteriorate.
For Atiyeh, it isn’t worth the expense of rehabilitation. He isn’t known for altruism or for philanthropic giving. It isn’t open to the public and most people don’t know it exists, due to its location far back on the property and abutting the old factory building.
I doubt anyone, myself included, would pour money into restoring it.
The building was given a death sentence the day the DUI Center was approved and shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. It wasn’t going to be relocated. It would never become offices again. It would never become apartments again. It would never be a visitor’s home again.
Who would want to occupy a building sitting inside a barbed wire chain link fence, next to a facility that houses inmates doing time on a work release program, ordered by the Court system?
Mr. Atiyeh owns the building and I see no legitimate reason why a demolition permit shouldn’t be given. Sentiment carries no weight in permit decisions.
West Easton should only fight the battles that should be fought.
Disclaimer: On January 4, 2016, the owner of WestEastonPA.com began serving on the West Easton Council following an election. Postings and all content found on this website are the opinions of Matthew A. Dees and may not necessarily represent the opinion of the governing body for The Borough of West Easton.
