Preservation Alliance Honors Hargroves House

On Monday, May 11, Hargroves House received a Grand Jury Award from the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia for Greene Street Friends School’s restoration of an 1833 frame house for use as school offices. The building on 61 West School House Lane in Germantown now houses the Admission, Business and Development Offices and serves as the entryway to the campus for all visitors. The project was overseen by Teri Buda, Greene Street’s Business Manager and a Germantown resident.

When Green Street Monthly Meeting purchased the property for the School’s use in 2003 the building was in considerable disrepair but Meeting members and School leaders were charmed by its architectural details such as a graceful side porch and stone fireplaces.

The architect for the project was Alan Metcalfe of Metcalfe Architecture and Design. As the father of two Greene Street graduates, Alan understood the School’s need to balance Quaker simplicity and respect for history with the functional demands of modern offices. He worked with the School to preserve existing wood floors and built-in wardrobes while adding new features like a raised roof with a skylight on an addition and magnetic release doors for safety. Refurbished antique lighting fixtures have been combined with high efficiency recessed lighting creating a blend of old and new. The first floor is entirely ADA accessible with a ramp to the conference room, the former double parlor.

The builder was the Mt. Airy firm of McCoubrey Overholser Construction and landscaping was done by Piracci's Landscaping, Inc. of Pennsburg, PA.

The building is named in honor of Greene Street Friends alumna Emily Hargroves Fisher whose generosity made the School’s $1.3 million Landmark of Learning Capital Campaign a success. The campaign funded the renovation of Hargroves House and of the Lower School building on Greene Street.

“Greene Street tries hard to be a good neighbor in Germantown. We are delighted to have this affirmation from the broader community,” says Buda.