Lansdale Borough Hall - Remember the Past and Plan For the Future

We’re going to start today by remembering George Santayana.  While he most probably never set foot in Lansdale, he did pen one famous saying that we should all remember – “"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

And we should keep that phrase in mind when we talk about today’s topic.  

Borough Hall.

There has been a lot of talk in the borough about our municipal complex.  There are two things that are not in question:

1)      The police station and borough hall both have significant space and condition issues.

2)      The Lansdale citizenry loves its borough hall

I agree with these two truths.  And want to go on the record saying that I love the stately look of borough hall, and could not image Lansdale without that iconic building standing.

But let’s look at this issue in depth – and from a slightly different angle.

As you all know, our current borough hall resides in the building that was built to be the Lansdale post office.  Here is a newspaper clipping from March 23, 1938 that shows the building when it was new – and touted to “take care of the needs of a growing borough for some years to come.”  

Well, in federal government speak, “some years” turned out to be about 48 years.  For that’s how long the post office remained before moving to its current location in 1986.  And, in my opinion, that newer post office is one of the ugliest buildings in town.  And poorly maintained, too.  But I guess when you lose $15.9 billion in one year; you can’t spend a whole lot of thought and money on one building in Lansdale, PA.  But I digress.

But did you ever stop to think about what happened in the 1930s when the current borough hall/former post office was built?  It was not built on a plot of empty land!  That piece of property was home to Schlumberger’s Broadway House.  Look at the pictures above!

So was there outcry in the 1930s about losing one of Lansdale’s most beautiful buildings?  I just don’t know.  But it would sure be interesting to know if we are condemned to repeat that past because collectively we can’t remember if anyone cared.

Right now, our borough council has approved a contract for Spiezel Architects to draw up plans for a new municipal complex.  We don’t have to do anything with those plans, but it sure would be nice to be able to move forward with his project.

But here’s what I’m going to say.  Any plans that do not include the iconic and historic outer three walls of the existing building are plans I just can’t live with.

Remember our past – those three walls were saved once – it’s time to save them again.

The Broadway House is a dim or non-existent memory to most.  Don’t let Borough Hall go the same route.

While the current council has approved the design phase of this project, it will be the next council that acts on those designs and recommendations.

So think about that when you vote for the five council seats that are up for grabs this year.  Ask the candidates where they stand on the municipal complex project.

You know where I stand – the historic walls of borough hall must be preserved!