[Editor's Note: This article has been downloaded from the June 23, 2038 edition of the On-line Lititz Record Express.]

An odd mix of Lutherans, Baptists and Renaissance players have joined forces to restore a portion of downtown Lititz to its historic 20th Century appearance.

Calling themselves "The Church Tower Committee", their intent is to raise the estimated $378 million needed to restore the red stone Gothic revival church that stood at the corner of Broad and Orange Streets for most of the last century. The church was torn down to allow for improvements at the intersection which at the time was part of Pennsylvania Route 772. The property remaining became Bonfield Park.

The church, originally built in the early 20th Century for the growing St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran congregation, served them well until mid-century when their new building-now a grade 5 facility for Warwick Educational Associates, Inc.-was constructed. The structure was the first home of the Lititz Baptist Church who sold the property to Mount Hope Estates for a conservatory and actors' residence.

The group would like to see the building dedicated to public use as an auditorium and meeting room for community groups. First Stage International Talent, Inc.-which opened one of its first theaters in Lititz-has expressed interest in creating a youth innovation project within the restored building. The multi-zillion dollar entertainment giant is offering this largess to a community that spurned them in 2000 when their lease was not renewed by their banker-landlord and borough officials made no attempt to help them relocate locally.

A series of late 20th Century problems forced various owners to give up on the property and in 2000 it was razed. Zoning played a prominent role in the demise of the building as a lack of off-street parking made it unsuitable for any commercial purpose. Also prominent in the condemnation decision was the need to re-design the intersection so that truck traffic could make the turns without destroying curbs, signs and light standards.

When the last open lot in Lititz was sold in 2018 and the work of the Zoning Hearing Board was turned over to the 26 neighborhood improvement associations, the problem with parking was much reduced. But it was the 2022 Gas & Water wars that forced the American population to seriously consider public transportation when the price of gasoline reached $15.80 a liter.

Since then the explosion of virtual entertainment, including our pioneering Virtual Lititz Springs Park web site, and the re-establishment of rail and introduction of tube service along with the decline in personal vehicle use has all but eliminated parking problems from the borough.

"I remember all of the discussions and arguments that went into the decision to tear down the church," reported Wally Hofferth, president for life of the Warwick Educational Associates, Inc. Given his experience in naming public facilities Hofferth was asked to appropriately name the public park. Now in disrepair from lack of use, the park along with a portion of the right turn lane would be used to construct a "Disney scale" version of the original building.

Wesley Chericola, grandson of the last private owner of the building and a leader in the group said, "The stained glass windows will be reproduced using antique methods of computer imaging and robotic production in plastic-a once widely-used material prior to the development of generic form simulation by Lititz-based Warrior Industries.

As they did for the reconstructed train station four decades ago, the Lititz AMBUCS is sponsoring a feasibility study for the committee. The Lititz Rotary Club has already pledged $16 million-half of the earnings from this year's craft show in the park as well as its associated eBay charity auction. The Lititz Lions Club has indicated that, should the feasibility study come out recommending the project, they are prepared to make a lead gift in the $75 million range.

"I just don't know what they were thinking," said Silvia Swartzentruber, president and head gardener of the Lititz Historical Foundation. "To tear down such a beautiful, historic structure to solve transitory problems-all of which have been resolved-is a travesty. Where was their creativity?"