Inside Look at "Cottage in the Woods"
Palmer/Forks Patch.com gets exclusive tour inside controversial Forks Township building.
From the outside, it looks like a perfect home to settle in for long winter nights or summer on hot days with barbecues and long walks in the wilds.
But inside the controversial "Cottage in the Woods," there's a different story, one that makes you wonder whether this home on 700 Zucksville Road in Forks Township is really worth saving at all.
As Forks Township Public Works Director Mark Roberts Wednesday shows Palmer/Forks Patch.com around the cottage during an exclusive tour, there's plenty of evidence to support arguments for spending about $9,000 to demolish the township-owned site.
But, with its stone-and-wood features and setting surrounded by tall trees off the busy road, there's also reason why organizations like the Forks Area Art Society and historical society have started a rallying cry to spare the home from the wrecking ball.
Right now, the Forks Township Board of Supervisors is holding off deciding the fate of the property. Officials are even holding off developers, trying to give the newly formed "Save the Cottage" Committee time to raise $23,000 to refurbish the home for future use.
Only a handful of people besides Roberts have seen the inside of the cottage, including Township Manager John Cornell and Supervisors Chairman Erik Chuss.
Members of the "Save the Cottage" Committee have also taken a tour of the home, which has heat and electricity running, Roberts said.
The home features a living room and dining room on the first level with a kitchen set off by a sunroom in the back. Upstairs is a bathroom and a bedroom.
"It's not a bad little house," Roberts said.
The 60-plus-year-old home has been vacant for two years after serving as a rental, Roberts said. But lately it's had some visitors.
Roberts said some vandalism has happened in which the living room window was shattered and the back door was broken into.
He was also awaiting visitors Wednesday from a company that was going to determine the cottage's mold content.
"They are going to take samples and evaluate," he said. "Then, we'll go from there."
Signs of mold are everywhere. Robert shows it coming off a stone fireplace and wooded panel in the sunroom and along the upstairs. In the basement, it's all over.
"It's kinda nasty down here," he said.
Outside, Roberts shows off the grounds, pointing out how cracks are running up a side wall.
"It's a nice setting, real attractive," he said.
But will the cottage's charm be enough to save it? Only time will tell.
carolpysher
8:41 am on Thursday, August 23, 2012
fix it up i would rent it in second . We would love it like our own..how did it get left this way..??? If 9000. could tear it down why not fix it?
carolpysher
8:55 am on Thursday, August 23, 2012
oops, i see the refurbishment is higher. There are already too many great old buildings being forgotten and this one is still young.
Rob Leiser
8:55 am on Thursday, August 23, 2012
Dino
You are missing the whole point; this story isn’t about the cost of saving the Cottage vs. the cost of tearing it down. The Story is should the Cottage and 6 acres of dense Forest be allowed to stand in the way of a Forks Township Youth Sports project to strip this property to provide parking for a few Tee Ball Fields.
Most Communities would see the value adding nature trails and shaded Picnic areas to a Municipal Park obviously Forks Township doesn’t. All I have read is 9000.00 vs. 23,000.00 what will be the real cost of this project.
Number 1 the Ball Fields are many years in Construction and after Tens of Thousands of Dollars over budget the Fields are still years from being completed. Number 2 is Supervisors haven’t publicly discussed the cost of Clear Cutting 6 acres of Forrest, Removing Stumps Top Soil and preparing the site for Paving. Paving a Forrest is the worst possible scenario, with costs in the Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars.
I see a rush to tear down the Cottage before required studies, permits, and cost estimates of the project are made public.
Rob Leiser
Periscope
9:40 am on Thursday, August 23, 2012
Leiser is right. It’s all about tearing it down, trees and all, and putting in a tee ball parking lot. How about tearing it down, leaving some of the stone first floor and fire place. Then integrate a wood beamed pavilion on the cottage site for family events, scouting, out door exercise programs, an environmental center with classes, a bird sanctuary with a fishpond, which already exists. The uses are endless for this unique location.
Remember, this wonderful wooded lot belongs to all the people.
slyfox
11:06 am on Thursday, August 23, 2012
Most of you have the right idea. You need to find a way to keep this gem. It's easier to destroy. More difficult to maintain but the offset is the beauty and land for the rain to soak into. Where will all that water run-off go? Hmmm? We all need to save precious land and buildings such as this. You spend money willy nilly on ridiculous items and maybe it's about time you did something for the greater good.
Did your office check on a government grant to help? There is oodles of money sitting there - do your homework and check it first. That could be the salvation.
Imagine if other countries demolish beautiful old buildings for the sake of, well, for the sake of what?
As Joni Mitchell once sang - They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.......
Dino Ciliberti
11:10 am on Thursday, August 23, 2012
Great comments so far. Good point Rob. Thanks, I appreciate it. Keep those comments coming!
ellie reismeier
12:14 am on Thursday, September 6, 2012
Thurs. Sept 6th at 7pm....Supervisors Workshop. Forks Municipal Bldg. Save the Cottage in the Woods will be discussed! Anyone interested please contact the Forks Art Society at forksart@yahoo.com...also see our facebook page, Save the Cottage in the Woods. We've had offers of support, both monetary and sweat equity. This grassroots campaign is about preserving the cottage to use as a showpiece for the Art Society to have a home base and create a gallery for township residents and provide lessons for our youth. We also plan on creating a home for the Historic Society's artifacts. Creation of a nature trail and picnic pavilion in the old growth woods is also in the works. This is the last little piece of history standing on Forks Township property. It belongs to the people....and we are responsible for the outcome. We all need to get involved. Remember.....Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that really matter!