In reply to “Worth looking into”:
The Historic Preservation Trust (HTP) did receive $3 million from the state for the Stevens-Smith project, which was used to pay construction costs for the underground museum inside the convention center itself. This money did go to the LCCCA, but was passed through directly to contractors.
Rumor has it that this $3 million was originally earmarked for the Lancaster Public Library, but was diverted by state officials to the convention center via the HPT when cost overruns became unmanageable.
It cannot be emphasized enough that the HPT was taken advantage of by those who were behind the convention center project so a much more elaborate and expensive facility could be built. It was assumed that numerous generous donations to the HPT would be more than enough to both salvage the palace on S. Queen St. AND build a world-class museum. But like with the Pennsylvania Academy of Music’s failed palace on N. Prince St., donations of that magnitude were nothing more than wishful thinking.
It would be a surprise indeed to see an actual museum be created inside the Stevens/Kleiss buildings within the foreseeable future.
Former Stevens-Smith director Gail Tomlinson reported at several public meetings that the plan was to lease the Smith buildings at Vine and Christian to private businesses. I wonder whatever happened to that idea?
All of this speculation and innuendo is off the mark, incomplete and irresponsible.
The $750K in question is for change orders that were never officially approved by Historic Preservation Trust. The majority of this work was disproportionately assigned to the Trust by the General Contractor and there was nothing much they could do about it.
At every turn when the Trust did protest or stand up for itself they were accused of delaying the project and worried that if this was put forth by the partners that their fund raising would be harmed. They were between a rock and a hard place.
In addition, the same economy that bit every one in the ass created a perfect storm that leaves them where they now stand. There were broken promises by the county commissioners, irresponsible architects and under qualified staff.
What is truly ironic is that the High machine that tried to wipe the properties off the site, including the Montgomery House, are now what the CC puts forth as their unique feature and most laudable act. The Trust has been asked to fore go the KY. This is another example of why this community will never achieve what it thinks it already has.