USEFUL INFO
Once you have spent three years converting an historic farm to a Golf and Country Club Community, it shapes your career and demonstrates just how many people give meaning and relevance to your efforts.
The Hayfields property has roots all the way back to the Revolutionary War and had played a role in the nation’s history since it’s beginning. The farm was one of the first to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Lafayette, on behalf of the French government awarded the Silver Tankard, known as the Lafayette cup to Hayfields as one of the best farms in America. Rumor has it that Lafayette gave these tankards to every farm he visited. A hot meal and a night’s lodging were his reward.
Hayfields is located just north of Baltimore in Hunt Valley and had been under attack by various developers to demolish the farm and place high density housing on the land. Urban sprawl was headed in its direction. The community and local government successfully fought this effort for the past 20 years and had their minds set to stop any development no matter what.
The Mangione family's vision for the site was to develop an 18 hole private golf and country club and 40 single family residential lots over 475 acres. Far less dense than any other proposal, it would assure most of the land to remain open.
They assembled a team that understood property owners’ rights and was sensitive to the historic implications of the project. The team included Scott Barhight of Whiteford, Taylor & Preston, Land Development Lawyers; Alt & Clark, Golf Course Architects; Daft McCune Walker, Landscape Architects; and Gant Brunnett Architects, Inc.. Their task was to develop a plan that would respect the land and the historic buildings, and meet the owners expectations as well as the communities.
Local government was under a great deal of pressure to ensure the project met everyone’s expectations. Sewer, water and other service had to go through all sorts of submittals, tests and demonstrations to prove the land would support all the proposed uses. Wildlife refuge, wet lands and forest restoration areas had to be developed. Along with new road patterns, parking, layout for an 18-hole golf course and adapting the historic buildings for a new use. Challenges for all of these things came from all directions: Planning Commission, Zoning Office, Department of Public Works, Plans Review, Landmarks Preservation, Dog Walkers and Community Groups. The overall challenges seemed overwhelming. These challenges were deconstructed and itemized by the team. This was a very informal process where each team member analyzed both sides of each issue and devised a plan to answer each challenge not only on legal issues to protect the Owner’s rights, but what was the right thing to do to protect the land from over development and protect the historic farm buildings. They had the owner’s support all the way, even when it meant comprising some of his goals.
The proposed use was an 18-hole golf course and country club and forty residential lots. This proposed use fit with the county’s zoning and land use ordinance. Public water and sewer were available; but the community feared if water and sewer were extended it would open the whole valley to more suburban sprawl. Tests for both wells and septic systems proved successful, which put the fear of over development to rest. Without public water and sewer the community did not have to worry about additional growth. The farmstead buildings were on the National Historic Register and the community wanted to protect these buildings. While being on the National Register offers no protection, the county had adopted protection through a Landmark Commission that had authority over changes made to these historic buildings. The community’s desire to save the farmstead required that they rely on the Landmark Commission. The project had already met all the other technical issues on their merit.
The Landmark Commission was now in a position to regulate how the farm was developed. Community Groups and County Officials were all putting pressure on the Commission to steer the project one way or another. After meeting monthly for a year (using the park service standards for review) the project was approved, with only one negative vote.
The farmstead consisted of three houses each dating back to the 18th and 19th century. Each house got bigger and grander as the farm prospered and the family grew.
The last house built was known as the mansion and was built of Beaver Dam marble, the same material as the Washington Monument. This house was to be used as the Club House, which required an 8,000 square foot addition for a banquet room for 200 people. This was the most challenging part of the project and took the most time for Landmark Commission to approve. Additions to historic buildings are always problematic.
The other buildings were all adapted for new uses. The stone slave quarter was to become members bar and grille room. The barns were converted to a proshop and a cart storage building. The cattle barn, which had burned down to the stone rubble walls, was rebuilt as the maintenance building and is the envy of most course superintendents. Uniquely, the spaces between the buildings, including the walled garden, were landscaped to reflect the original farm gardens.
The lesson learned is that no matter how difficult the N.I.B.Y.’S. (not in my back-yard) make a project, that given patience, time and doing the right thing, always wins. The collaboration between team members and the owner’s insistence on doing what’s right for the project, interfaced with the challenges from community and county officials, resulted in a unique project which everyone wants to take credit. The golf course itself is a combination of link and traditional fairways.
Hayfields will see further recognition when the Senior PGA State Farm Classic is held there in July 2001. Hope to see you there.
With nearly three decades of experience in architecture, Frank Gant has a firm background on projects involving historic preservation and adaptive reuse. He served as the Principal In Charge for the Historic Hayfields Golf & Country Club project and is currently one of the Principals at Gant Brunnett Architects in Baltimore, Maryland. He has a strong reputation for solving difficult problems, site restraint issues, code compliance, and tight budget constraints. His ability to effectively deal with aggressive schedules has won him praise from both clients and contractors alike. Prior to forming Gant Brunnett Architects in 1998, Mr. Gant owned his own practice for more than twenty-six years.