Op-Ed: Details of Final NSH Proposal Released

My months-long quest to read the last and final proposal to redevelop a portion of the Norristown State Hospital grounds recently came to an end. Shrouded in mystery until last week and following a Right to Know appeal with the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records, I got my opportunity to review the proposal (no photocopies or verbatim notes) at the Montgomery County Redevelopment Authority. 

But first, I had important civic business to tend to:  dropping off my mail-in ballot at One Montgomery Plaza in the county seat of Norristown. I bring this up because on my way into the building, I saw reporter Carl Hessler of the Times-Herald/Mercury, working his beat and talking to sources. Freedom of the press can easily be overlooked, but just ask a Russian or Chinese citizen about their access to real journalism that challenges elected officials and holds them accountable. 

“Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants,” Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis said over a century ago. 

In addition to press freedoms, the 1st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution also includes the provision providing us with the right to “petition the government for a redress of grievances.” And part of that, in my opinion, is having access to public records in order to be informed about your government. You can’t ask informed questions when business is conducted in secrecy. 

So, to recap, Last December, Norristown Council selected a mixed use concept from PRDC as part of a public bidding process. Five companies expressed interest in the potential financial windfall of redeveloping 68 acres, gifted from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Von International, of Chalfont, refused to release any details about their bid (while the other four did). Von’s lawyer, Lawrence Hambrect Esq., stated that the information was highly proprietary and contained privileged, confidential trade secrets. PA Office of Open Records granted a partial victory by saying that access needed to be granted. 

Von’s vision for the property, as explained in documents reviewed in Norristown, included: 

• A “net-zero” entertainment complex, which would utilize geothermal and other forms of renewable energy. 

• The complex would include a recording studio, concert venue, as well as retail and restaurant space. 

• Preservation of a 126,000-square-foot building for “multi-income” housing. None of the other proposals included the restoration of an existing building for housing purposes. 

It’s just a shame it took so long to learn this information. To learn more about open records in Pennsylvania, visit OOR.