Rebuild Horn Farm
On the night of October 25th, lightning struck the Horn Farm Center’s historic farm house, destroying the 2nd and 3rd floors. Since then, recovery and rebuilding efforts are underway. This page details our progress on rebuilding the farmhouse and will be updated regularly.
Phase 1: Recovery (Complete)
From the time of the fire to the beginning of September 2022, our efforts were focused on responding to the fire and recovering our operations. With the help of our community we:
- worked with our insurance company to assess the damage to the building.
- completed demolition and removed debris from the building.
- protected the building from weather and further damage by addressing the masonry and constructing a temporary roof
- restored electricity and internet to the campus, which were damaged by the lightning strike.
- renovated and outfitted a donated trailer for temporary office use.
- recovered our IT infrastructure.
- determined our goals and principles for the rebuild, developed our RFP’s.
- engaged the services of Murphy & Dittenhafer, Lewis Contractors, and 7group to redesign the farmhouse for future use and energy-efficiency.
Phase 1 was supported by:
- Powder Mill Foundation
- York County Land Bank Authority
- Jeff Rohrbaugh, Electrician
- The David Hogg Family Foundation
- Kinsley Construction & Kinsley Education Center
- FirstEnergy
- Energy Opportunities
- Commonwealth Fire Protection
- ShipleyEnergy
- York County Community Foundation
- Friends, volunteers, and donors like you!
Phase 2: Design (In Progress Now, 75% Complete)
In October 2022, we kicked off the design process with Murphy & Dittenhafer, Lewis Contractors, and 7group. Our timeline and design activities are:
- October 2022 – December 2022 – schematic design (completed)
- January 2023 – May 2023 – design development, early cost estimation, and value engineering
- June 2023 (4 weeks) – development of construction documents
- July 2023 (3 weeks) – bidding and pricing
Phase 2 is supported by:
- Powder Mill Foundation
- J. William Warehime Foundation
- Berks County Community Foundation MetEd Penelec Sustainable Energy Fund
- 7group
Phase 3: Build
If our design process stays on track, we will begin rebuilding the farmhouse in fall 2023:
- September 2023 – December 2023 – primary construction activities
- January 2024 – finishing & occupancy; celebration event
The final design goals include:
- Large Classroom Space, Restroom & Kitchenette Downstairs
- Office Spaces, Restroom, & Storage Upstairs
- An Energy & Water Efficient Building
- Public Access Composting Toilets On Site (outbuilding)
- Other Site Improvements including an enhanced outdoor classroom area on the north porch of the building
We anticipate having a small funding gap. We are currently seeking financial support for this project.
Phase 3 is supported by:
- York County Community Foundation Sustainable Energy Fund
- Powder Mill Foundation
- J. William Warehime Foundation
If you are interested in investing in the future of the Horn Farm Center by contributing to the Building Fund, please contact Executive Director, Alexis Campbell at executivedirector@hornfarmcenter.org.