Current Projects

The Casselberry Property, located at 275 Evansburg Road in Lower Providence Township, Montgomery County, PA (Parcel ID 43-00-15518-64-8), is a 4-acre historic site of national and local significance. Built before 1734 by Derrick Casselberry, the main house and its outbuildings, including a Smokehouse, auxiliary building, and root cellar. The site served as General George Washington’s headquarters in 1777, following the Battle of Brandywine, and later operated as a 19th-century tannery.

The property is vacant, unused, and in need of stabilization and restoration. Several engineering and architectural assessments found the main house structurally sound, with a stable foundation and generally intact framing, though repairs are needed for the gutter system, localized joist rot, plaster damage, and water intrusion. The Smokehouse requires wall stabilization and roof replacement.

Under this plan:

• The auxiliary building will become the Jaybird Foundation’s permanent headquarters, serving as a hub for restoration projects and community partnerships.
  

• The main house will be rehabilitated for use by one or more nonprofits, professional service, small businesses, or community organizations, offering affordable space rooted in history.
  

• The grounds and remaining historic structures will be preserved for educational programming, heritage events, and public engagement.
  

The project will require rezoning from R-3 Residential to Evansburg Village Commercial (EVC) to support mixed-use adaptive reuse and long-term financial sustainability. Funding will be sought through a combination of state and federal grants, private donations, corporate partnerships, earned income from leases, and special events. The Jaybird Foundation projects raising seed funding over three years to leverage larger grant awards.

Impact Goals:

• Preserve a nationally significant Revolutionary War site.
  

• Prevent further deterioration of historic structures.
  

• Create a community-serving destination that strengthens the Evansburg Historic District.
  

• Generate economic activity by attracting visitors, supporting small businesses, and increasing tax revenues.
  

• Showcase Lower Providence Township’s leadership in heritage preservation during the America250PA celebrations.
  

Through thoughtful restoration and adaptive reuse, the Casselberry Property will be transformed from a maintenance liability into a vibrant, income-generating, and culturally significant community anchor, bridging the past with a sustainable future.

The Jaybird Foundation has established a collaborative partnership with Thomas Jefferson University’s College of Architecture and the Built Environment (TJU–CABE) to provide students with hands-on learning opportunities while advancing the preservation and adaptive reuse of historic properties throughout Montgomery County.

Through this partnership, undergraduate and graduate students will engage directly with real-world preservation projects as part of their studio courses and independent studies. These experiences allow students to apply classroom knowledge to active community projects while developing the practical skills needed for careers in architecture, preservation, landscape design, construction management, and related fields.

Working alongside Jaybird Foundation leadership and faculty mentors, students will contribute research, design concepts, and documentation that help guide the future of historic properties. Their work may include historic research, vision planning, adaptive reuse proposals, architectural and interior design concepts, landscape planning, digital and physical models, measured drawings, photography, and documentation that can support restoration planning and grant applications.

Students will also participate in site visits, project reviews, and end-of-semester presentations that allow them to share their work with community stakeholders and preservation professionals. This collaborative environment encourages interdisciplinary learning, creative problem solving, and a deeper understanding of the complexities involved in restoring and adapting historic places.

By connecting students with active preservation projects, this partnership strengthens the next generation of designers, planners, and preservationists while supporting the Jaybird Foundation’s mission to restore historic properties and reimagine them as vibrant spaces for community use.

This project is currently under development and is in the planning or creation phase. While it’s not yet ready for rollout, we are working diligently to ensure it will be ready for launch in the near future.