Historical Society Votes Down Green Woods Charter Move to Greylock

The Chestnut Hill Historical Society recently voted unanimously not to alter the easements on the Greylock Manor that would have allowed the Green Woods Charter School in Roxborough to relocate to that location.

“We’re disappointed,” said Bob Trevidi, the school’s spokesman. “We really thought it was an outstanding match.”

The school, which was recently approved to expand its student body by 675 students over the next few years by the Philadelphia School Reform Commission, cannot maintain this new number at its present location on the grounds for the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education. Trevidi said that Green Woods was only one of three charter schools in the city to receive this expansion approval.

The school had been engaged in an Agreement of Sale of the property early February and was in the midst of a 90-day due-diligence period. The property had been empty for several years and the school had entered a purchase agreement for $2.2 million. The school had been considering this property since early 2010.

“We had been very excited going further,” Trevidi said. Greylock’s view and watershed were just some of the assets the school had been looking forward to.

But with the start of the school year rapidly approaching, there is no time for an appeal.

“We just don’t have the luxury of time,” he said.

The school is now looking for alternative sites, including an interim site for the initial student expansion coming this year, and that officials have several in mind. Trevidi said the school is not looking to move out of the Northwest section of the city if it can help it.

“We’re hopeful,” he said. “We received such an outpouring of interest in the community.”

The Chestnut Hill Historical Society’s easement program preserves properties in the area by encouraging property owners to donate their potential development rights to the Society. This keeps historically significant buildings from being developed or drastically altered in the future. According to its website, the Historical Society currently holds 35 easements, which are valued at over $10 million.

Green Woods opened in 2002 as a school with a mission to foster an understanding of interdependence in students concerning local and global existence, specifically in terms of environmental issues. According to the school’s website, it received the 2007 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence, the Exemplary Status School award from the Department of Education, the Best Practices Award from the School District of Philadelphia in 2008 and the Program of the Year Award from the Pennsylvania Council of Social Studies in 2009.

The school had received a lot of community support from the outset about the move, Trevidi said. In Chestnut Hill 600 parents and neighbors had signed a petition in approval of the move.

“The community has showed unwavering support for the school,” he said.

But not all neighbors had been thrilled about the move. At a meeting in March neighbors attended a meeting to discussions reservations about the school’s move to Greylock. Approximately 100 near neighbors signed a petition to the historical society expressing their concerns.

However, many were still crestfallen about the cancellation of the move.

“As members of the Chestnut Hill community and parents of children who attend Green Woods Charter School, we are deeply disappointed with the Chestnut Hill Historical Society and the Friends of the Wissahickon's decision to reject our proposal to modify and, in our opinion, enhance the easements on Greylock Manor,” said a release on the school’s website written by Chestnut Hill parents.