In the most consequential land-use decision to face Radnor Township in a generation, commissioners voted to table their proposed eminent domain ordinance targeting 17 acres of Valley Forge Military Academy campus, pivoting instead to a five-year right-of-first-refusal arrangement announced by Township Solicitor John Rice at the March 10 meeting.
Under the agreement, if the Valley Forge Military Academy Foundation receives a purchase offer from any outside party, Radnor Township will have the contractual right to match or exceed that price. The deal effectively shelves the eminent domain threat—a legally fraught and politically divisive maneuver—while preserving the township’s ability to acquire the land on market terms.
The formal agreement is expected on the agenda for the March 23 Board of Commissioners meeting, pending approval from the Foundation’s board.
VFMA Foundation attorney Phil Rosenzweig had stated bluntly at the February 9 session: “Just because there had been an offer from Rockwell Development for the land does not mean it was for sale.” He estimated land values could approach $1 million per acre. Since 2009, the foundation has sold approximately 23.5 acres to developers and Eastern University, which paid roughly $28 million for the football field alone in February 2025.
Valley Forge Military Academy will close after its May 9, 2026 graduation, ending 98 years of operation. The Valley Forge Military College, a private two-year institution with 100+ cadets, will continue operating independently on the site. A proposed charter school, Valley Forge Public Service Academy, has also resubmitted its application for use of academic facilities.