Shusterman: Valley Forge Park Alliance awarded $500K

Funding will be used to create a new headquarters and cafe

PAOLI, Nov. 1 – State Rep. Melissa Shusterman is pleased to announce the Valley Forge Park Alliance has been awarded $500,000 in Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program funding for the Maurice Stephens House project to convert the home into a new headquarters for the Valley Forge Park Alliance and a café.

“For years, the Valley Forge Park Alliance has provided excellent services to park visitors that have complimented official park programming, including bird walks, historical lectures and wellness workshops,” said Shusterman, D-Chester/Montgomery. “The Maurice Stephens House project will allow them to not only continue these valuable programs but also expand their impact on visitors by having their headquarters located right on the grounds of the park.”

The funds will be used to either build an addition or pay for the design fees and site work for the property surrounding to building. That work would include rehabilitating an existing parking lot, installing sidewalks, electricity to the parking lot, signage and landscaping. 

“Valley Forge brings in more than a million visitors every year and is a significant tourist and historic attraction in the region,” Shusterman said. “This project will be a wonderful addition to the park and will provide a place for visitors to take a break, before exploring more of the 3,500 acres.”

The RACP is a grant program administered by the Office of the Budget for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational and historical improvement projects.

Anyone with questions should contact Shusterman’s office at (484) 200-8260.