University to sell the farm

Penn's decision to sell its 211-acre Buck County farmland has angered many local residents. The University has recently devoted considerable time and energy toward improving its often strained relationship with the surrounding community, where many residents complain of being ignored. But now Penn's town-gown problems have spread beyond West Philadelphia -- 30 miles beyond it, to Upper Makefield Township, a wealthy Bucks County hamlet. The University's recent decision to sell the 211 acres of pristine farmland it owns there has sparked a hailstorm of controversy, with many local residents fearing that the land will be sold to an unscrupulous real-estate developer and carved into condominiums, irreparably changing the character of the area. But University officials maintain that they're just trying to get the best price for a property they neither need nor want and are listening to the community's concerns. "[The farm] does not suit the needs of the Graduate School of Fine Arts," Vice President for Government, Community and Public Affairs Carol Scheman said. "Virtually every university that I know of ends up with these sorts of things. Some of these gifts have to be turned into capital." The University received the farm in the mid-1970s as a gift from the estate of Monroe and Edna Gutman, who stipulated that Penn develop it as an arts center. But the University never developed the land, finally deciding to put the property up for sale. The asking price is $5.5 million. In response, local residents, preservation groups and federal and state legislators have formed a coalition to raise the money necessary to buy the land and ensure that it isn't developed. "I'm very interested in preserving as much of it as possible as open space," said U.S. Rep. James Greenwood (R-Pa.), whose district includes Upper Makefield. "This is really in an area that's been under intensive pressure for development." The University and its real-estate firm originally set an October 29 deadline for developers or conservation groups to bid on the property and submit a proposal on what they would do with the land. Yesterday, however, University President Judith Rodin offered to push back the deadline so that Greenwood and other interested parties can come up with a proposal -- and the money -- necessary to purchase the farm, Greenwood said. Additionally, University officials are scheduled to meet with members of the coalition on October 17 to discuss their concerns and tour the farm. "[Rodin] is enormously enthusiastic about working with us," Greenwood said. "We simply need a little extra time so that we can pull together some resources." Rodin was unavailable for comment yesterday. The controversy deepened last week, following a Philadelphia Inquirer article that quoted Graduate School of Fine Arts Dean Gary Hack as saying Penn is "not a charity." "I was very disappointed by the attitude that he seems to be expressing," Greenwood said. Hack's office referred questions to Scheman and Managing Director of Real Estate Tom Lussenhop. Scheman defended the comments, insisting that Hack "is very concerned that the school maximizes resources and pursues his agenda strongly." Organizations such as the Heritage Conservancy, a nonprofit Bucks County group that works to preserve land in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York, are leading the drive to make sure the land doesn't get developed. "What we're trying to do is not act as if we're irresponsible tree huggers," said Jeff Marshall, the group's director of historic preservation. Instead, they simply want to maintain the character of the community and the area, he added. But they'll only be able to do that if they can come up with the money to buy the land, and few residents have indicated that they would be willing to open their pockets to keep the land the way it is, according to Christopher Chandor, an attorney and developer who lives near the farm.

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