Poor Richard's, next to the County Theater, is set to be demolished this week, Jan 13-17, 2020. The building is structurally sound, and rather than save one of the oldest buildings in Doylestown Borough, a building on the National Register and a contributing building in Historic District of Doylestown, the building is being torn down. As of 1/14/2020 in the evening, it is still standing. IT IS NOT TOO LATE.

To the members of the HARB, Planning Commission, and Borough Council:

I am appalled that the Borough Council, the Borough Historic Architecture Review Board, and the Mayor would allow such an egregious event to occur, but you have. Please stop this demolition and require the project to retain as much of the historic building as possible, and propose a design for a structure that conforms to the Historic District design standards and complements the existing streetscape.

I grew up in Doylestown, attended Lenape and CB West, and it is the beautiful varied architecture that Doylestown possesses that fostered my love and interest in Historic Preservation. Please do not let this building become a victim of 'progress'. Progress means nothing if we have to erase our history to achieve it. A structurally sound historic building in a designated historic district should not be able to be torn down, no matter what.

The Smith-Solliday House, located at 28 E. State Street, dates to the 1810s-1820s, and under the stucco and built-out store front is a beautiful and original stone facade. This building has stood the test of time and is part of the variety of architecture that makes State Street in Doylestown so unique. It is the building that the County Theater purchased for their expansion, and rather than select a design that would make use of the structurally-sound exterior of the building, they have opted for a design that requires the building and part of our town's history to be demolished. This building was constructed by Timothy Smith, one of the fathers of Doylestown. Losing this building will greatly detract from the town's character and the Historic District. It also sets a dangerous precedent for other historic buildings in Doylestown to be torn down.

Thank you,

Rachel Leach

Historic Preservationist