Cintra Mansion Demolition Back On The Agenda In New Hope Borough

NEW HOPE BOROUGH, PA — The proposed demolition of Cintra Mansion is back on the agenda in New Hope Borough.

The council on Tuesday is expected to again discuss the fate of the mansion located at 181 Bridge Street across the street from the New Hope-Solebury School District's administration offices.

WJM Engineering, Inc., an independent engineering firm hired by the borough last year and paid for by renowned architect Robert Hillier, is recommending demolition or selective demolition of the circa 1816 building and reconstructing it using new materials.

“Our report conclusion states that due to the condition of Cintra Mansion, extensive scope of the repair and rebuild work, complexity and sequencing challenges regarding the required temporary shoring and bracing, and the significant worksite safety concerns, our recommendation is to demolish the existing building and reconstruct it utilizing new materials," said WJM in its study. "However, as stated in our report, the currently non-visible portions of the interior load-bearing stone walls and segments of the interior timber framing members can potentially be preserved.

“Potential preservation of these components would require extensive temporary bracing and shoring, additional structural assessment, and careful construction sequencing to ensure structural stability of the building and provide a safe work environment,” said WJM.

Read the entire report by clicking here

New Hope Borough retained WJM last year to conduct a structural assessment to determine whether the structure or any of its structural components can be preserved.

Last spring, Hillier, who has owned Cintra since 2013, requested a demolition permit for the mansion with plans to construct a replica of the original structure in its place

Hillier is an internationally-known architect, a member of the core faculty at Princeton University’s School of Architecture and is the co-founder of Studio Hillier LLC, an interdisciplinary design firm in Princeton, N.J.

“The mansion is basically unstable and it is an unsafe structure. Our intent is to completely reconstruct it and completely conform with the National Park Service regulations,” Hillier told council last spring after presenting the results of a second engineering study, this one done by Anthony Naccarato, who is known nationwide for his work in the preservation of historic buildings. The Naccarato study also recommended demolition.

“I know this is not a perfect solution for a historic building that means so much to so many people in this town, but when it is all said and done, the true and accurate Cintra will live on,” he promised.

Cintra, located on Bridge Street in New Hope, was built circa 1816 by industrialist William Maris who also constructed a cotton mill on the Aquetong Creek near Mt. Moriah Church and the Delaware House at the corner of Bridge and Main streets in New Hope, according to the Solebury Historical Society.

In December, WJM met with the borough’s engineer and Studio Hillier during which Studio Hillier agreed to develop cost estimates for two options - demolition and selective demolition.

“The selective demolition option would require construction of steel framed bracing around the exterior perimeter of the building to stabilize the existing stone walls while the interior plaster is removed throughout the building,” said WJM. “The steel bracing is required as the interior plaster is currently providing lateral stability to the structure, particularly at the East and West wings of the building. Removal of the interior plaster will allow a condition assessment of the interior stone walls and wood floor framing to be conducted.”

WJM also notes that if segments of the floor framing members are in good condition and can be preserved, additional structural analysis will be required to determine if the existing framing is adequate for the code prescribed design loading.

"The floor framing can potentially be reinforced to meet the structural design requirements if it is not adequate," the study says.