SEITZLAND, PA A Rebirth
Table of Contents
A Small Rural Village............................... 3 The Seitzland Store.................................. 4 How Do We Do This?.............................. 6 Infrastructure Upgrades.......................... 7 Our Current Vision................................... 8 Zoning Approval....................................10 Village Expansion................................. 12 Potential Abounds................................. 14 Previous Projects.................................. 15
Current restoration stage of our property at 12027 Baltimore Street, Glen Rock, PA 17327.
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Seitzland, PA: A Rebirth
a small rural village
S
eitzland is a small rural village just south of Glen Rock on the
York County Heritage Rail Trail corridor, within the jurisdiction of Shrewsbury Township, York County.
SEITZLAND, PA: A REBIRTH
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The seitzland store
I
n 2011, we purchased the property formerly
known as the Seitzland Store, with the intent of renovating it for our residence, and a studio/ gallery for our work.
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Seitzland, PA: A Rebirth
SEITZLAND, PA: A REBIRTH
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how do we do this?
A
Shrewsbury Township Planning Commission
fter consulting with the Township
on how to go about this, the Board of Supervisors suggested that an overlay
We recently purchased the property in Seitzland formally owned by David Meadowcroft. Our primary reason for this purchase is to restore the building to its original look and give it renewed life, relieving the burden of shame this property has developed over the past 40 years. We approached the Board of Supervisors with the attached letter. Their reaction was overwhelmingly positive and they recommended that we meet with you to define a new zoning district, give it a title, and propose the uses we suggest would be appropriate for this vision.
district could accommodate our needs,
We feel that Seitzland’s intact rural village setting, along with its location along the NCR corridor, provides a unique opportunity to create a model zoning district that can protect our heritage while advancing development and growth.
as well as give the unique village
We have outlined a proposal, and we are looking forward to working with the Commission to make this happen.
setting an opportunity to become a
Thank you for your time and consideration.
model zoning area due to its historic
Dave Keller Ellen Darby
context, its location along the York County Heritage Rail Trail, and along the route of the Steam Into History tourist train.
Shrewsbury Township Board of Supervisors The Village of Seitzland evolved in the early 1800s after Nicholas Seitz located his mill adjacent to the then new North Central Railway on the outskirts of the already established town of Glen Rock. The rail service stopped to pick up the goods produced there, and housing and services quickly grew. The records show that by the year 1872 an assortment of at least a dozen businesses had grown to support the Village. Like all towns along the rail line Seitzland had a 100 year run of prosperity before alternative modes of transportation slowly diminished their prominence. After the demise of the rail line in 1972, along with the increase in mobility of its citizens, Seitzland lost the diversity of businesses that had fueled the small town, and became a residential community. With the foresight of a few individuals and the cooperation of York County government, the rail line remained contiguous, the NCR rail trail was established, and the communities along its corridors once again began to develop services. Today, in the wake of the Steam Into History organization, we feel the time is right to revive Seitzland to its glory days by providing services once again for the rail line, and to re-instill a sense of community and history. Seitzland is ripe for rebirth as a support community for the bike trail and rail line, and for the increasing movement to capitalize on local resources. The new public sewer service coming to the Village has heightened the potential of this project, and we thank you for bringing this to fruition. We think that restoring the Seitzland Store will have a positive impact on the entire Village. From day one, Seitzland was a Village, and previous zoning addressed it as a Village, allowing the versatility needed to grow and change with the community. What we are asking for is to re-establish the Village Center zoning boundaries and the uses that accompany it. We have approached the York County Parks system with our plan, and they are supportive of our design. York County government is presently reviewing it, and we are anticipating their endorsement as well. Members of the Rail Trail Authority and the Glen Rock Historical Society are also excited about our efforts. As a local business owner and as a builder/craftsman, I am devoted to saving the architectural history of Southern York County. Although our primary interest is to restore this building, we do not yet have a clear idea for its use, but desire the flexibility of Village Center zoning for our efforts. We thank you for your consideration. Dave Keller Ellen Darby
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Seitzland, PA: A Rebirth
Infrastructure upgrades
O
ver the next three years
the Council deliberated, and the Historic Village Overlay District was adopted in the Spring of 2015. During this time, we registered and removed 3 underground storage tanks to Department of Environmental Protection standards, with partial funding by the Pump and Plug Program; and the Township installed a public sewer system in Seitzland, all of which inspired a grander vision of what our building, along with neighboring properties, might become.
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our current vision
A
s you can see in the rendering,
the stone house beside the Seitzland
excited about, as it would complement
Store shows a proposed addition to the
the historic experience for their out-of-
rear that could serve as an inn or bed
town guests.
& breakfast for the Village. This is an 8
idea that the Steam into History group is
Seitzland, PA: A Rebirth
SEITZLAND, PA: A REBIRTH
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zoning approval
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Seitzland, PA: A Rebirth
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village expansion
A
small train station, which
is now under construction, will add detail and distinction to the Village, as the Seitzland name will be displayed on both ends of the building. The proposed train station was met with enthusiasm and support from the York County
Seitzland Store Request for Marcellus Shale Legacy Funding June 15, 2015
Commissioners, who voted in
Seitzland is a small rural village in Southern York County that flourished during the evolution of the North Central Railroad, and then declined when railroad services ended. Seitzland never recovered
favor of financing it through the
from this decline, and the village seems to have disappeared for the last 40 years.
Marcellus Shale Legacy Fund.
organization came on board; and recently, a public sewer system was installed. The inception and
Fortunately, the NCR Trail came along and offered the prospect of rebirth; the Steam Into History
introduction of these services sowed the seeds for emphasizing and preserving local history and supporting tourism to bring fresh interest to the community. A zoning model has been approved for the Village of Seitzland, which will allow visionary property owners to continue this trend, and create a unique historic village district. As property owners, Dave Keller and Ellen Darby realized the community’s opportunity, and four years ago, they purchased, and began restoring, what was once known as the Seitzland Store. Dave and Ellen worked patiently with Shrewsbury Township to pen the zoning ordinance, which was adopted this summer. To date, the concept has been well received by both the Council and the residents of the community. The Seitzland Store property encompasses all four corners of the rail crossing in Seitzland. The right-of-way through this crossing falls under the domain of the York County Parks and York County government, and requires their approval for any improvements. Dave and Ellen are proposing to erect a small train station to help restore awareness of the Seitzland Village and to harmoniously enhance the rail trail corridor. Our request is to have this project funded by the Marcellus Shale Legacy Fund for the continued beautification of York County Parks, and the newly zoned Historic Village of Seitzland. Funding request: $6,300 Thank you for your consideration.
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Seitzland, PA: A Rebirth
Shrewsbury Township York County, Pennsylvania May 19, 2015 Via Email & First Class Mail Board of Commissioners County of York York County Administrative Center 28 East Market St. York, PA 17401-1588 Re: Grant Request – Act 13 Marcellus Shale Funding Seitzland Train Station Shelter Shrewsbury Township Dear Commissioner Chronister, Commissioner Hoke, and Commissioner Reilly: At last evening’s meeting, the Shrewsbury Township Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to submit a grant request to the County of York for funding through the Act 13 Marcellus Shale funding program. Specifically, the Township is requesting $6,300.00 for the construction of a replica Seitzland Train Station Shelter (see Exhibit A), which would be located at the intersection of Baltimore Street and W. Clearview Drive. The shelter would be constructed on property owned by David Keller & Ellen Darby, but would be situated well within the County’s right-of-way along the York County Heritage Rail Trail (see Exhibit B). Labor and equipment to construct the shelter would be provided by Mr. Keller. He and Ms. Darby are renovating the Seitzland Store (see Exhibit C), which is located at the same intersection and within the Township’s Historic Village Overlay District. In addition to the shelter being an enhancement to the rail trail, in keeping with the history of the railroad, the shelter would also add to the “Steam into History” train experience. On behalf of the Board of Supervisors, thank you for your consideration of our request. If you have any questions, or need additional information, please feel free to contact me. Sincerely,
Todd A. Zeigler Township Manager cc: Sherry L. Baer - Chief Clerk/Office Manager (via email & first class mail) David Keller & Ellen Darby (via email) 11505 Susquehanna Trail South · Glen Rock · PA · 17327 Phone 717-235-3011 Fax 717-227-0662 www.shrewsburytownship.org
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potential abounds
T
here are three additional houses available within the Historic Village Overlay
District just to the rear of our building. One of them, formerly the Seitzland Hotel, harbors promise and function when you consider the options afforded by the new zoning. So today, we find ourselves restoring a property enhanced by these unique ingredients: •Nationally recognized bike trail •Steam Into History excursion train •Historic Rural Village •Historic Village Overlay District •Public sewer system •ADT 1080 With this potential in mind, and a visual concept to show our view of what can be, we are seeking support, suggestions, and debate on viability. Our main concern is finding other like-minded people to acquire these properties to help create a community that can be looked upon as a subtle but strong statement about our heritage in York County.
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Seitzland, PA: A Rebirth
previous projects
Residence – Baltimore County, MD – Relocated log house with frame addition and complete renovation of existing house.
Haines Shoe House - York, PA – Complete restoration with low interest loan from Historic York, Inc.
Residence – Glen Rock, PA – Stone and brick addition between existing house and summer house. Complete renovation of all buildings.
after
For more info please contact:
Dave Keller & Ellen Darby 102 North Highland Drive Shrewsbury, PA 17361 dbkeller58@gmail.com or 717.873.7179 egdarby@gmail.com or 717.515.0011
before
Shrewsbury Antique Center – Shrewsbury, PA – Renovated sewing factory and 5,000 sq ft addition Owned and operated for 28 years.
SEITZLAND, PA: A REBIRTH
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SEITZLAND, PA A Rebirth
For more info please contact: Dave Keller & Ellen Darby 102 North Highland Drive, Shrewsbury, PA 17361 dbkeller58@gmail.com or 717.873.7179 egdarby@gmail.com or 717.515.0011