Township Update: January 28, 2026

The following updates are based on information shared at the Chadds Ford Township January 28, 2026 Board of Supervisors Workshop Meeting, the Chadds Ford Township website, and correspondence from the Township.

1. Updates to PF Website

Chadds Ford Township updated the Painter’s Folly webpage in late January 2026 ahead of the January 28, 2026, Board of Supervisors Meeting. This is the first major update on the page since July 31, 2025. Updates include information related to recent grant applications, 2026 budget line items, an ongoing Pennsylvania Historical Marker nomination, and a statement that no major rehabilitation, construction, or permanent reuse decisions have been approved at this time.

2. Local Share Account Grant

Chadds Ford Township compiled a Local Share Account (LSA) grant application for a $720,000 repair and maintenance project at Painter’s Folly. The Township consulted with John Milner Associates regarding the necessary repair work, specifically “exterior stabilization.” The Township provided further information on the scope of work in the January 28, 2026, Board of Supervisors Agenda, which includes windows, doors, shutters, and roof work. Chadds Ford Township does not intend to advance unfunded or speculative work related to Painter’s Folly.

At present, Chadds Ford Township has not completed a Historic Structures Report, as recommended by the Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia, to guide future repairs, construction, and uses of the historic building.

3. Conservation & Façade Easements

Chadds Ford Township budgeted $50,000 for “conservation and façade” easements related to Painter’s Folly. Supervisor Kathleen Goodier advised at the January 28, 2026, BOS meeting that these easements correspond to land conservation and the house’s facades visible from Route 1/Baltimore Pike. The easements are to be held by the North American Land Trust, but no paperwork has been signed to date (January 28, 2026).

Per Township Manager Lacey Faber, “The intent is to preserve the historic and environmental significance of Painter’s Folly while allowing reasonable stewardship of the property.”

At this time, Chadds Ford Township is not considering interior easements. Chadds Ford Township also states that there is no definitive determination on the disposition of antiques within Painter’s Folly if a public sale were to occur.

4. Future Use/Plans Moving Forward

Chadds Ford Township states that nothing has changed regarding the property's potential outcome and continues to explore a dual-track approach: a public auction or a preservation partner.

At present, Chadds Ford Township has not opened a Request for Proposals for Painter’s Folly to solicit adaptive reuse proposals from the community.

The Township states that no final interior programming decisions or comprehensive preservation plans have been adopted related to Painter’s Folly. While CFT has met with potential preservation partners and organizations (identities of which have not been shared publicly), the Township states that no established partnerships have been established to date.

While Chadds Ford Township states there are no final interior programming plans for Painter’s Folly, they received an extension on the 2023 PHMC Keystone Grant to fund ADA-compliance projects related to the now-defunct Artist Studios at Painter’s Folly program.

The Township states that the property is regularly visited and maintained, but the building remains closed to the public. Per Township Manager Faber, Township Solicitor Mike Maddren closed Painter's Folly "to everyone. No one is allowed in the building."