I wonder where the 700+ folks in favor of the Wawa live? Probably not in Hatboro, and most certainly not across from or abutting the proposed site. Sorry, but saving $250 a year on gas is not worth selling out those in community who own homes adjacent to the proposed site.

Wouldn't a WaWa at this location cause HUGE traffic issues? York Rd. is already congested with traffic most of the time.
As far as the historic building in the flood zone...if no one can afford to purchase it, and no one can afford to fix it and maintain it everytime it gets hit by flood water, and no one is willing to pay to have it moved to a location that doesn't flood (not sure if thats possible) does it really matter if it's historical? If left where it's at without maintenance & repairs it will just rot away anyway.

Traffic is definitely a concern. Also, a resident's association has formed to address the historic preservation and other local quality of life issues. The buildings have been there roughly 300 years and the Mill has gone without maintenance for the past 4 or 5 years, I believe.

And...the Spa Escape building is in very good shape with a thriving business in it. The owner of the business has tried to buy the building but I don't think TD Bank is inerested unless they can unload the "old Mill Inn" too.

I am all for bringing new businesses to town. NIMBYs like Fox-Regan should concentrate on getting Obama reelected or bringimg more brownies to Occupy Philly.

I work in Hatboro and I'm looking forward to this WaWa.

Are those residents of Hatboro in favor of Wawa free to join the Hatboro Resident Association??? Quality of life can be defined in more than one way.

BBH -- I believe the organization is open to all Hatboro residents. The meeting information is posted on the Hatboro Life Facebook page and also in the windows of many businesses in town. However, based on the way some folks are behaving on these boards, I feel compelled to add that members are expected to behave in a civil manner toward one another, regardless of their opinion on individual issues.

Preserving a town's history is very important. Hatboro's historical buildings unfortunately are not together, Borough Hall, Union Library, Churches, etc. Problems with preserving historical areas are simple: you need to buy it, repair it (big bucks) and maintain it. Large grants and helpful foundations are needed. This is a tough task.

Yes, let's turn away a business to save a building that is currently listing heavily towards toppling over while the rest of the York Road corridor turns into a ghost town.

Let's "band together" and push the Old Mill Inn into the Pennypack.

To everyone that writes a response,please get your faxs right.I have read many remarks how the Old Mill is falling in the creek or just plain falling apart.Mills are designed to be in a wet area with a high water table.Just because the stucco is cracking and a poorly built addition is falling down does not mean the building is going to fall over.The Old Mill is a solid structure.As far as the HRA goes they are not telling people what to do with their property they are tring to save a piece of Hatboro History.

I think we call can agree that the Patch comments have become venting grounds for people and have unfortunately become breeding grounds for impolite and angered discourse. However, Al, I think what you're seeing is a definite passion that is not shared by just 65 people. There are petitions signatures coming in by the hundreds that are opposed to Wawa. I am a member of the Hatboro Residents' association and I am saddenned by the negativity that a few folks have been posting about this ambitious group. I'm also saddened by the members who feel they have to fight this dirty fight in these boards. They also do not represent the hard working, intelligent and kind people that are the HRA. They have made it clear that they want to connect with the residents and let their voices be heard. It is our experience that a large number of Hatboro Residents oppose not Wawa (we love the store), but its proposed location due to a long standing history of demolishing our town's history. However, it is understandable that not all Hatboro residents will agree on this issue, but the HRA was formed in earnest to prevent further demolition of historic places. So if you feel strongly enough about your viewpoint, make your voice heard. Perhaps the chamber of commerce supports the Wawa (I do not know) but organize yourself as well. I will warn you though....people can be nasty.

Make no mistake, this is about special interests, but thats the american way these days. Its private property and free citizens should have the right to build on it, as should others have the right to speak out. Maybe George Washington and Amelia E. visited these places, but for me BUILD, Baby BUILD. Good coffee, decent food, cheap gas and a good company is the way to go. Hatboro is not Doylestown, New Hope or Newtown. It is Hatboro - a nice town with nice people. Wawa doesn't change that. The town could use a litte change. In this econcomy folks should be glad a developer is interested; says something about the town. These buildings have lived out their useful lives; let them die in peace.

Thanks who dat! Just found out about this board, seems like some good topics, although I disagree with some, its seems like a nice place to share ideas. I hope no one takes offense, but I just dont see the point with saving these places. The old restaurant looks a mess. I know it floods. I'd love to see it saved, but I don't think that will have. Its right on the creek! I know it will flood. Maybe we'll get some good food in town, like a KFC or Taco Bell. My daugheter loves Taco Bell!

I am not sure but I believe the Old Mill is NOT a registered historical building. To be listed as one doesn't the present owner have to start that ball rolling? If so I doubt TD is ging to do that. Does Zoning support a WaWa? Has zoning ever been changed or adjusted in Hatboro in the past for something like a WaWa? Can you imagine wanting to move yourself and your neighbors telling you no way we don't like the people you are selling to we are going to fight you? Horsham residents tried to fight the WaWa on Horsham Rd (the one closer to Maple). That was an old home that ended up bank owned. And if TD owns both property's and wants to sell them together who has the right to insist they sell them seperately? Would I want to live next to a WaWa no, but I didn't purchase a property adjacent to a commercial property either. The Old Mill may or may not be falling apart but it is deteriorating, it is in a flood zone, from what I understand flood insurance is high. Do the residents want to incur the cost to preserve it, insure it, etc... with an increase in their taxes? Or do you really believe Montgomery has $ to give as grants for that? Montgomery County is in debt and has had to cut grants in many area's where is the $ supposed to come from for all of this historical preservation?

What was said at the concept presentation to counsel was that Wawa was planning to preserve and protect the Old Mill by addressing the flooding and storm water drainage issues with the properties which would help tremendously with the residents homes, and school upstream and business’s in that whole area. The cost to taxpayers would be $0 and as far as usage of the Old Mill after that they have not said, but maybe they would donate it to the borough for the historical Hatboro artifacts since it has no real value otherwise.

You have to watch an be careful of what businesses come into a small community.If people want to live around low end stores there are some good properties off of 5Th Street an even Front Street in Philly.They used to be great shopping districts.Look at them areas now.Maybe even Kensington Ave or Frankford Ave.They all have one thing in common.Years ago they were family oriented areas and tight neighborhood shopping areas.Now they are shit holes.

Nobody thinks Hatboro will ever be Doylestown. Nobody wants Hatboro to be Doylestown. Nobody wants upscale boutiques. But do want to see SOME of our history preserved. What people are forgetting is that this is not necessarily about the Old Mill, it's also about a THRIVING business (the Spa Escape) in an historic building that will definitely be torn down to make way for the Wawa. What if Wawa wants to save the Old Mill? Are people willing to demolish a successful business and an historic house (Spa Escape) to save the Old Mill? And to Al, our country was built by a few dreamers. It's ok to dream. Not to be Doylestown, but to be Hatboro. And to be Hatboro, we should save SOMETHING from our history.

They may both have been built around the same time Cira 1724 according to history books available at the Union Library, but the building with the most historical significance is the Old Mill for it's contribution during the War is it Not? Why didn't the owner of Spa Escape buy the property from the previous owner when the properties where seperate and not tied together? I'd think a lease to own with the pervious owner prior to defualt would have been sufficant. Why hasn't the bank booted her if they don't care to talk to her as sum post have stated, cause once the bank took possesion isn't her lease invailed then? I just think if Wawa is willing as they have stated in open forum to council to preserve and protect the Old Mill and all that intails at no cost to the Borough it makes more sense than to stand on principle and force that area to suffer cause of insufficant funds to address ALL the problems not just buy a couple of buildings and drop (donate) them in the lap of the borough and the tax payers to deal.I think with the parking at the Old Mill even if it was preseved would not lend it's self to much more than a small office of some kind that is why I'd say a Hatboro Historical Museum would be nice and also make some of the HRA ideas (preserving Hatbor History) a reality.

Please remember to attend the Feb 28th meeting at Pennypack Elementary-especially those that are in favor of developing/updating our town. At this point, I will say that I do not want the HRA speaking for me. I think that it is a big mistake to not even consider what this development would do for the community. Please check out this site-Wawa COULD be a good neighbor-IF even considered.
http://www.wawa.com/wawaweb/community.aspx

Sid you mean Monument and York-right?

For the amount of bullying that is going on here -how could someone dream of saying no to a HRA petition?????

I am all for a Wawa too....just not there. I think the Wawa would be better suited at the North end of town, where that (seemingly)never open Exxon is located...

Yes, let us fight WaWa and they will just build somewhere just outside of Hatboro. Then, the WaWa located at York and MONTGOMERY (which WaWa rents), will close because it no longer fits into WaWa's current business plan. If we keep it up, soon we can have every store on York Road closed, then have the town all to ourselves.

I am really looking forward to the meeting in 2 weeks. Having just moved to town after buying a house I look forward to getting more into the direction Hatboro is taking.

I enjoyed many dinners at the Old Mill, and as a business owner myself I have no real idea as to what to do with the current property. It would be a nightmare doing anything with the building; first in the hoops that would you need to jump through getting it fixed up, and second living with the fear of it flooding again.

I personally am against a massive Wawa opening up right at the edge of town with one already in town. And to bulldoze two wonderful buildings down, especially with a thriving business already located in one only makes me more against it.

I think Hatboro could do something with those two buildings to draw in visitors. No one living outside the borough knows about the history of the grist mill. Not a museum, per se, but something that would highlight the history. Any possibility of moving the off-main Hatboro theater group (I forget their name) to the Spa building?

Keyser or whoever you are when you are not hiding behind a screen name, you appear starstruck by "big business" moving into town. Wawa at the end of town won't have any impact (good or bad) on the empty holes in the center of town. Big business has the interest of the corporation at heart, not the town they are operating in. To believe otherwise is naive