Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners, at its April 14 meeting, voted 6-0 to advance phase 2 of the renovations of the Mickley-Prydun Farm.

According to board Vice President Jeffrey Warren, this project is being funded by state and county grants that total $454,000. Warren has a notable involvement in this project.

Phase 2 will see mostly exterior renovations, involving removing the brick and repointing original bricks, adding exterior doors, restoring a side porch and replacing windows.

The property consists of a 1762 stone house and an 1835 brick homestead at 3540 Ruch St.

The goal is to restore and weatherize the buildings. The township is making these homes accessible to the public while keeping the historical importance of the farm. Deputy Mayor Jack Meyers said Gordian Construction, of Cincinnati, Ohio, was the project manager for the farm.

Phase 1 of the farm project, completed in 2022, consisted of roof restorations and soffit/chimneys in both buildings.

Some concerns were raised at the April 14 meeting regarding the planned development for phase 2.

Commissioner Ken Snyder raised concerns about the moisture and humidity levels in the building, especially in the basement. With summer approaching, he worried about the basement after renovations, citing moisture being trapped inside and the potential for mold growth.

“What I don’t want to find is, because we’re making it anti-moisture, that we’re not going to protect the inside of the building to make sure we don’t have mold that can occur,” Snyder said.

Commissioner Phil Ginder also raised concerns, suggesting a radon study be done during phase 2.

“I agree with Ken. You’re going to tighten up this building now, and there’s no ventilation in there. Once you tighten up this building and it doesn’t breathe, in the summertime, the humidity is gonna go through the roof,” Ginder said.

Snyder and Ginder both agreed that all the money that was funded for this project should also focus on the interior issues of the building, especially the basement.

Warren said the basement floor is concrete.

“We cannot sit here and not have a plan for what Phil and I are talking about,” Snyder said.

Ginder suggested adding terra-cotta liners inside the chimneys or closing them up to keep the moisture out. He also suggested adding a dehumidifying system. Ginder reported that, as the chimneys get damp, they could fall apart from the inside and collapse if there aren’t any liners.

“You’ve got to address the humidity issues in that building,” Ginder said.

Warren said he would consult with the contractors about these concerns.

Warren reported the idea of these renovations would be to make it accessible to the public and provide connectivity to the Ironton Rail Trail. He also suggested having a nonprofit use the building as its base, or possibly having the Environmental Advisory Council use it as its headquarters.

According to a news release, the Mickley-Prydun Farm dates back to 1761, when a man named John Jacob Mickley Sr. and his family acquired the property. Mickley was the man who hauled the Liberty Bell from Philadelphia to Allentown in 1777.

A news release reported the township purchased the property in 2013 after several residents asked the board to preserve it. The township successfully obtained the property using a Land and Water Conservation Fund grant from the National Parks Service.

The release also stated Warren would like to team up with a local university to perform an archaeological dig as part of America250, with the goal of revealing artifacts that date back to the American Revolutionary War.

The next Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners meeting, a workshop, is set for 7 p.m. May 5 at the municipal building, 3219 MacArthur Road.