Originally published in the Lancaster Post on September 12, 2008
The one bright spot that has come out of the hotel and convention center project in downtown Lancaster, PA is the preservation of several historic buildings. But achieving this success involved controversy that reflects that of the project itself.
What is now known as the "Stevens & Smith Historic Site" began with four historically significant buildings. These include the former home and law office of Thaddeus Stevens, along with the adjacent former Kleiss Saloon (also owned by Stevens) at the northeast corner of Queen and Vine Streets. The other two buildings are located at the corner of Vine and Christian, and were at one time owned by Stevens' long-time housekeeper, Lydia Hamilton Smith. A woman of mixed race, Smith operated them as boarding houses.
Thaddeus Stevens is perhaps the most influential politician that ever lived in this area. A Lancaster City attorney, Stevens was a lifelong opponent of slavery. As a member of the Pennsylvania legislature, he successfully defended Pennsylvania's fledgling free public school system from attacks by wealthy and religious factions. As U.S. Representative, Stevens played a crucial role in the abolition of slavery, and was instrumental in the creation and passage of three amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
Lydia Hamilton Smith, Stevens' housekeeper and confidante, is noteworthy because she was a successful businesswoman of color at a time when few women or minorities operated their own businesses.
The original plan for the convention center, a completely separate building from the hotel, would have required the demolition of all the historic structures on the southern end of the site. James Pickard, then chairman of the Lancaster County Convention Center Authority, insisted that these historic buildings stood in the way of the project. The Historic Preservation Trust held easements to preserve the historic nature of these buildings, donated by a former owner; the director of the HPT at the time, Randy Harris, fought valiantly to save them from demolition. The LCCCA then proposed moving the buildings across Vine Street, which satisfied no one. Mr. Pickard even went so far as to persuade the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Lancaster to prepare to nullify the HPT's easements.
Fortunately, former mayor Charlie Smithgall, along with State Senator Gib Armstrong, convinced the LCCCA to forge a compromise with the Historic Preservation Trust. The LCCCA agreed to preserve the front section of the four Stevens/Smith properties, while demolishing the rear. The LCCCA also demanded that the Oblender's building be demolished, which had been a grocery store that was owned by a close friend of Thaddeus Stevens.
During excavations of the site prior to demolition, a cistern was discovered behind Stevens' home that included a small passage, which suggested it might have been used as a hiding place for runaway slaves. Stevens had often defended minorities, and had even employed a spy who would learn the plans of slave hunters and pass this information on to runaway slaves. There is no real evidence that Stevens actually did hide runaway slaves, but it is possible.
When the hotel and convention center project was greatly enlarged in 2003, the historic properties once again presented a challenge - and an opportunity. The now 47,842 square foot main convention hall is being built at an angle to the rest of the structure. This allows the convention hall to clear the Smith buildings, while integrating the Stevens and Kleiss buildings into the convention center itself. An underground museum, part of the Stevens & Smith Historic Site, is being built inside the lower level of the convention center, where the cistern will be visible to convention visitors.
The Stevens & Smith Historic Site is expected to be a $20 million project. The exterior of the Stevens, Kleiss, and Smith buildings are expected to be restored by the time the convention center is to open in the spring of 2009. The interiors of these buildings, along with the exhibit areas inside the lower lobby of the convention center, are planned to be completed some time in 2010. The ground floor of Stevens' home and office are to be restored to an appearance consistent with the time Stevens lived there, and will be a part of the museum. The ground floor of the Kleiss building is to be the museum store. Upper floors of these buildings are expected to be offices.
The corner building once owned by Lydia Hamilton Smith is expected to be leased as commercial space, providing revenue to help offset the operational costs of the site. The other Smith building is to house an exhibit about the history of minorities and women. And the Swan Hotel, across Vine St. from the Kleiss building, is to be restored and leased to a private partner as a restaurant.
Some time in the middle of the next decade, the Stevens & Smith Historic Site plans to build a new educational center at the rear of the Swan Hotel, across from the Vine St. convention center entrance. These plans include converting a carriage house along Christian St. into an auditorium and café.
We have often pointed out the many issues with the hotel and convention center project. It is fortunate for all that, in the midst of all the controversy, historic preservation has to some small degree prevailed.
