At 6 a.m. June 29, 1897, according to published histories, the first superintendent of the Topton Orphans Home began construction of the iconic Old Main building at the children’s home by digging out, ” in the shape of a cross … several wheelbarrowsful of ground.”
With that in mind, participants in the 1:30 p.m. Sept. 24 ground-breaking ceremony for an $8.2 million construction project to renovate and refurbish the 32,000-square-foot building will place themselves in the shape of a cross.
“We thought doing so is not only a fitting way to honor our history and the Rev. Uriah P. Heilman, who undertook that first groundbreaking so long ago, but also to reflect our faith-based mission to serve our neighbors,” says Mark Pile, Diakon president and CEO.
The ground breaking will be part of a brief ceremony during a noon to 4 p.m. picnic and celebration for the project. The celebration will involve several community organizations and include food, games and other activities.
With actual construction slated to begin later in the year and conclude the end of 2017, the Old Main project will involve renovation of the currently unused second floor of the building, installation of an elevator and completion of various exterior refurbishment efforts.
A major component of the work focuses on the creation of a “center for permanency” related to Diakon Adoption & Foster Care. The center will include space for training of adoption and foster care staff and support groups for parents as well as family-style areas helpful in the process of transitioning children and youths into foster and adoptive families.
The permanency center will be named in memory of Helen N. Palmer of Wyomissing, who passed away in 2012. Seed money for the overall renovation project came from part of a multi-million-dollar bequest received last year from the Palmer estate. The project will also include bank financing and a fundraising campaign.
In addition creating the permanency center, the project will involve relocation of Diakon Ministry Support offices from Allentown. Old Main’s first floor will continue to house the Brandywine Community Library, the historic Putz train layout and some staff offices.
The renovation work, says Pile, “will be done with care and respect for the building’s historical character and appearance.” Old Main is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
