The Doylestown Township Planning Commission voted 4-1 to recommend a zoning amendment that would allow multifamily housing on the historic, 24-acre Hart property along Route 202. The property is owned by the Bucks County Historical Society, which plans to sell it to fund its core mission of operating the Mercer Museum and Fonthill Castle. The proposed buyer, Zaveta Custom Homes, wants to renovate the main stone house and build 36 luxury townhomes using natural materials, with the zoning change requiring historic structures to be preserved in perpetuity. Residents were split — nearby Doylestown Hunt neighbors largely supported the plan as the best realistic outcome for the site, while preservationists raised concerns about traffic and loss of open land. Doylestown Borough is asking that any zoning change be delayed until a traffic study is completed. Township supervisors will make the final decision.
Source: Bucks County Courier Times; 3/13/2026