After Public Outcry, Lower Merion School District Spares Stoneleigh Gardens

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LOWER MERION, Pa. (CBS) -- Stoneleigh is safe. In a battle between the public and the Lower Merion School District, the public came out on top.

The Lower Merion Board of School Directors voted Monday night to use land on Spring Mill Road in Villanova to build athletic fields for a new middle school instead of acquiring land from Stoneleigh.

The district originally planned to use land from the beloved estate -- a proposal that fueled controversy and led people to sign a petition against the plan.

Emails Reveal Private Tour, Internal School Board Conversations As Stoneleigh Gardens Controversy Continues

The modern middle school will now be built on 7.56 acres of land at 1860 Montgomery Avenue.

Stoneleigh transitioned from a family home to a natural public garden in May.

In:
• Community
• Education
• Montgomery County