Salvage crews have begun stripping the interior of La Ronda / Image by Paul Orleman

By Carla Zambelli

Yesterday was September 1, 2009 and like many people I am trying to remain positive over La Ronda, but I have to tell you it’s hard. Should La Ronda be preserved? Absolutely. But will she be preserved? Who knows? I was told earlier yesterday afternoon that the demolition permits HAD been issued, but had not (at that time) been picked up yet. Is this a cruel case of hurry up and wait?

Part of me hopes that all these people involved with the current situation will feel shame for what they are doing, but the realist in me says, no this won’t happen, because they simply do not care.

Today I viewed the photos on Facebook of a man named Paul Orleman, and well, color me disgusted.

These photos show the utter uncaring and unfeeling and wanton destruction of the interior of La Ronda by a salvage crew. They are like carrion crows picking at a carcass. The inside just looks violated.

Published media reports quote the prior owner in saying how he wants to preserve architectural details and such that came out of La Ronda  through his salvaging efforts. So if that is true, who raped the house? Because the photos I saw represented not salvaging but in truth a savaging. Also, if the former owner who has salvage rights wants to preserve elements of La Ronda, why not cede those salvage rights to Benjamin Wohl? Why not help convince the mystery owners, Mr. and Mrs. X, to let him move La Ronda? Is it true the salvage rights are so extensive that even the spectacular roof tiles will be picked from the bones of La Ronda?

At the end of the day, with the salvage rights, what will be left of La Ronda? A modern man made “folly” of Victorian proportions? And if Bobby Scott or Anne d’Harnoncourt were still alive what would their response be to news that states the former owner’s desire to donate some elements to the Philadelphia Museum of Art?

I attended the rally on Monday, August 31st. It was, truly, a sea of humanity. It made me think of how the Lower Merion Historical Society spoke of La Ronda in  their “Rich Men and Their Castles”. They described La Ronda being constantly in the headlines from the point of Percival Foerderer’s death forward. Their time clock stopped in 1981 I believe. Who knew?

Benjamin Wohl flew up again. I had met him on two different occasions on previous visits to attempt to free La Ronda from the greedy chains that bind her. He spoke to a crowd of at least 100 people (if not more). He was spirited and passionate and pointed in his remarks. Benjamin Wohl is exactly the type of person the Philadelphia area needs desperately. He is a man with vision, soul, and a conscience. Benjamin Wohl asked people to pray for La Ronda, and he’s right, because La Ronda is on life support and they are about to pull the plug. The crime is it doesn’t have to happen.

La Ronda is on life support because our historic preservation in Pennsylvania is in a sense, broken. The will is there, but we far too often lose our way. People can’t just rally in the 11th hour - yes it is crucially important, but it shouldn’t always be like this! However, I have said it consistently throughout this whole tragedy of operatic proportions that our historic preservation can’t continue to be REactive, it must be PROactive. And I also can’t help but wonder if PA hadn’t bowed under pressure of development/building lobbying, what kind of positive difference PA HB 904 might have made? The moratorium on development bill that has gone nowhere fast?

Oh yes, we currently have historic preservation tools, but the debate rages on when contemplating the tools. Are the tools ineffective or are many of those who interpret or use the tools ineffectual? Or both?

La Ronda is the ultimate heart breaker and once again raises the conversation government like to avoid: when does what is right and in the public good matter? When does historic preservation matter? When do the property rights of those who live surrounding an area targeted by an unwelcome demolition matter? Why are property rights in Pennsylvania seemingly so selective?

When does what we actually want in our communities matter? La Ronda matters. For more information, check out Facebook on the “Save La Ronda” page. Visit the Save La Ronda Now website.

If you know the Mysterious Mr. and Mrs. X, beg them to deal in good faith with Benjamin Wohl. If you know the previous owner, ask the same of him over the salvage rights. And as Ben says, say a prayer for the old girl of Mount Pleasant Road.

Last night, I went just before sunset to look at the old girl. As I parked on Roscommon Road a radio news report aired ironically on La Ronda.

As I parked it was eerily quiet. Just a neighbor taking a last look, a couple “drive bys” gazing at the house, and a family of woodchucks gamboling on the lawn. A lone hawk cried from above circling, the tree tops.

As I stood on Roscommon watching the woodchucks, I was once again struck by the quiet majesty of La Ronda. I used to think at night the place was haunted because of the shadows it throws off, but to me, at that moment, the house was simply sad. A lady being stripped of her adornments; savaged one mantlpiece at a time.

Carla Zambelli is Vice President of the Save Ardmore Coalition. She is an occaissional contributor to the Main Line Times. You can see more photos of LaRonda here.