Here is Jim's posting on Henkel Square
I can tell you that most of the houses are being moved and will either be near the apothocary or the two story green Phelp's house. This is to make room for the parking lots and modern stores they are putting in to Henkel Square.
Back to looking for someone to complain to...I went to the RT Chamber of Commerce. The 'chamber man' gave me an ear full and was so proud of it.
The 1st phase, moving the old homes, should be complete by the 1st weekend of October. The 2nd phase including some newer modern buildings will be ready by the spring. The final phase will be ready in possibly a year and will include all the parking lots and professional spaces that businesses like Royer's and the Chamber of Commerce will rent space in.
All the old buildings are receiving makeovers that include electricity, AC, new roof, new floors, etc. ALL the old buildings will be used as retail space, but according to the chamber man, there will be no 'tchotchky' shops included. Whew, that's a relief! None of the homes will be left as historic homes. According to the chamber man, that's what Winedale is for. Besides, "no one is interested in that kind of stuff anymore," according to our lovely chamber man. All of the furnishings have been removed and no idea what has happened to them. So the 'historic homes' will just be shells that look historic.
The new owners, the Massey's, and the chamber felt that Henkel Square was a 'dead village.' Meaning they weren't getting very many visitors, including school groups from the local school districts. The chamber could not speak to what kind of advertising or marketing was being used. The owners are putting all electricity underground and camouflaging as much of the modern things as possible. New plumbing will also be put in, but separate from the buildings.
I told the chamber man that we were very disappointed to see Henkel Square being developed into another space for retail, antiques, restraunts and tchocky shops. We preferred it to be preserved and wished that there could have been some middle ground. We were informed that the Rosenburg family had felt the same way about some of the structures, but that was a "waste of several hours" out of the chamber man's day.
