Hammerstein project still being debated

A decision will not be made for at least another month on whether to allow construction of a multimillion-dollar theater and museum on the former Bucks County farm of Oscar Hammerstein II, according to the project leader.

Will Hammerstein, grandson of the Broadway lyricist and the driving force behind the proposal, said a three-hour Doylestown Township zoning board hearing ended Monday night without a vote.

Four witnesses testified, Hammerstein said, but at least two township witnesses are still expected to testify, and a meeting next month is slated to allot significant time for public comment.

Hammerstein, 52, a Brooklyn, N.Y., lawyer, wants to develop a cultural institution on the farm where his grandfather wrote many of his most famous works, including Oklahoma!, South Pacific, and The Sound of Music.

His plan calls for a 400-seat theater, a museum in the barn, and tours of the renovated farmhouse, which currently houses a bed-and-breakfast.

The board is considering whether to grant the project the required variances to begin construction.

Three township supervisors have urged the board to decline Hammerstein's requests, believing the plan is too big for the five-acre lot.

Hammerstein left Monday's meeting feeling optimistic.

"We're going to continue to build up local support and continue spreading the word until the race is over," he said. "We're not going to stop until it's done."

The next meeting is scheduled for April 20.