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Historical Commission Overturns Historic District Designation and OKs Demolition of a Legally Protected Landmark
At its meeting on July 14, the Philadelphia Historical Commission (PHC) added four properties to the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places, rescinded the legal protections of a designated historic district, and took away protection from a home listed on both the National and Philadelphia Register of Historic Places. Historic designation...
Church Listed on the National Register Razed for New Construction
In the early 1900s, the construction of the Most Precious Blood Roman Catholic Church in Strawberry Mansion marked the pinnacle of a period of change for the neighborhood, when development and the neighborhood’s population boomed following the extension of trolley lines from the city’s core. But now, more than a century later, the building’s demolition to make space for a 44-unit apartment building marks another time of change, as recent redevelopment pressure in the area has brought community members into conflict with developers.
The Origins and End of University City Townhomes
In late April, Councilperson Jaime Gauthier stood in front of University City Townhomes at 3900 Market Street with good news for affordable housing advocates. The City had reached an agreement in a long-protracted lawsuit with Altman Management/IBID, the property’s owners and developers, on the fate of the residential complex, one of the last predominantly African American-occupied affordable housing developments in University City. The agreement stipulates that 20 percent of the 2.7-acre lot will be preserved and transferred to the City to be developed as 74 units of affordable housing. Residents, forced to leave the complex after Altman decided in July 2021 that it would not renew its 40-year contract to manage the property as Section 8 housing, will also receive $50,000 a piece in compensation. Altman/IBID is free to sell the remaining 80 percent of the property at market rate, likely to be developed as office or laboratory space in what has become a burgeoning medical research corridor.
Uncovering Compassion and Community in the Ruins of Buttercup Cottage
Hidden within the overgrown foliage of Wissahickon Valley Park at the intersection of Emlen Street and Cresheim Road lies the stone remnants of Buttercup Cottage. From the late 1800s through the early 20th century it was used as a retreat for working class women of Philadelphia who could not afford more extravagant vacation destinations, but still desired respite from the overcrowded and polluted existence of the industrial inner city.
Land Sale Leaves Arts Oasis in Limbo
Even in deserted landscapes, flowers can bloom. Their colors pop, they energize the local inhabitants, and for a time turn barren spaces lovely. But in the end, they inevitably wilt away. Has that time finally come for Sunflower Philly and the rest of the art that blossoms at the crossroads of 5th Street, Cecil B. Moore, and Germantown Avenues?
Remembering Marcus Foster: Role Model and Mentor to Philly’s Broken Schools
I grew up in North Philadelphia not knowing the connection between Marcus Aurelius Foster and Simon Gratz High School, which was only two blocks away from my home. Throughout my youth, Foster was only the name given to Memorial Stadium at Roosevelt Boulevard and Germantown Avenue where I had to do laps at least twice a week.
Two African American Landmarks, Wharton Hall, and Others Added to the Philadelphia Register
The Philadelphia Historical Commission added six properties to the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places during its June meeting. Two of the designations acknowledged the important contributions of African American women: the C. DeLores Tucker House and the former home of Ethel Hedgemon Lyle. DeLores Tucker, a lifelong Philadelphian, civil rights...
Come and Join Us Brothers: the Legacy of Camp William Penn
La Mott, a nearby Philadelphia suburb across Cheltenham Avenue from West Oak Lane, is a historic district that dates back to the Civil War and the site of the first training center for African American volunteers in the U.S. Army. The soldiers who passed through Camp William Penn, beginning instruction in May, 1863, fought in all major battles in 1864 and 1865. After the surrender of the Confederate Army in the East, several of the camp’s graduates’ regiments were transferred to Texas where they participated in the emancipation of 250,000 people there, commemorated as Juneteenth, the federal holiday observed on June 19. The story of how it came to be closely follows the understanding of African American civil rights as it evolved over the course of the war.
Fitler Club at 2400 Market a Study in Contrasts
Upwardly mobile millennials and Gen Xers tend to spend a lot of time and money on fitness centers, coworking spaces, trendy restaurants, bars, art museums, and childcare. So, why not put all these puzzle pieces together under one roof and throw in 14 luxury hotel rooms, a ballroom, a movie theater, bowling alley, HD golf simulator, a salon, and a killer view of the Schuylkill River? The result is Fitler Club at 2400 Market Street.
Anatomy of a Renovation
A soft breeze lifted curtains in sunlight on someone else’s former life. They left most everything behind. Apparently, no one treasured that plush furniture, after all. This quiet scene was the first hint that the 19th century brick building would be renovated for entirely new use and occupancy. As if emerging from a page in Richard McGuire’s classic, Here, one could imagine a parade of different families passing through this very same place, over decades, their joys and sorrows etched into ordinary days with occasional triumphs.
Historic Port Richmond School Scheduled for June Demolition
In its 129 years of life, the James Martin School in Port Richmond has seen two world wars, several global pandemics, and generations of Philadelphians come and go. Yet, its solid granite walls are still standing firm, seemingly unscathed.But not for much longer. The three-story building’s days are now numbered.
Germantown ArtHaus Paints a Bright Future for a Local Black Landmark
Keisha Whatley’s excitement over her current project, Germantown ArtHaus, is clear. As we toured the Swain Building at 6228 Germantown Avenue she shared her multilayered vision for the property. Whatley hopes it will one day be filled with a café, a gallery, artists’ studios, and a hub for young artists to connect and develop a community. Old newspapers, an antique typewriter, a well-used printing press, and piles of dust and rubble highlight an existing legacy that she is working on continuing inside the historic building.
Saving the Terra Cotta Temple: New Hope for Conkling-Armstrong House Emerges
Most billboards are eyesores, obscuring more interesting views of buildings, landscapes, and scenery. If only they could be removed. But what about when the “billboard” is an object worth looking at, for providing a window into the past? If only it could be saved. It appears that the fortunes of the historic Conkling-Armstrong House in Nicetown-Tioga, one of the most unique buildings in the city, are trending in that direction. Constructed in 1898, the twin dwelling served as an architectural showcase for the eponymous Conkling-Armstrong Terra Cotta Company, a major manufacturer of architectural terra cotta used in the construction of various buildings around the Philadelphia region.
Charitable Church in Center City Seeks Helping Hand With Repairs
Members of Arch Street United Methodist Church consider their 155 year-old house of worship to be an architectural treasure. However, in 2019 the City gave them an ultimatum: repair the unsafe condition of the church’s 233-foot steeple or shut the doors. Given the small congregation and the $6.9 million needed to complete restoration, it would appear to be among Philadelphia’s many churches destined for closure. Except for one important difference. Arch Street UMC isn’t just a place people go for spiritual sustenance. It is where many unhoused and food insecure individuals go for a hot meal, a shower, clothing, healthcare, and legal advocacy. Situated at the literal crossroads of the city at Broad and Arch Streets, the church has one of the most diverse and progressive congregations in Philadelphia.
Renovation Begins at Historic Mt. Airy Bank
In some ways, Mt. Airy can be overshadowed by the historic nature of its neighbor to the south, Germantown, and the bustling commercial success of Chestnut Hill to the north. But the redevelopment of a Roaring Twenties-era bank in the neighborhood is making a statement of its own: there is an interesting past, present, and future in Mt. Airy, too.
Three Local Landmarks Nominated to the National Register
In its meeting on May 12, the Philadelphia Historical Commission reviewed several petitions for alterations to historically designated properties. It also offered comments on three very different buildings in Northwest Philadelphia that have been nominated to the National Register of Historic Places. Requests for alterations to historically registered buildings are...
The Quaker Exile: A Hidden History Comes to Light
Did you ever hear about a group of leading Philadelphia Quakers who were banished to the Virginia frontier for over seven months during the American Revolution? Did you know that these men were never charged, never convicted, and even denied the centuries-old right to habeas corpus?. Even if you are...
Using Pennsylvania’s Anti-Blight Law to Save Historic Properties
Pennsylvania, home to old communities of every sort, suffers from a kind of blight that goes hand in hand with its deep history. The problem of abandoned or neglected properties is felt all across the Commonwealth, found in both sprawling, urban centers like Philadelphia and in small, post-industrial cities and rural towns.
Ellis House, Remnant of North Broad’s Gilded Age, Headed for Auction
At the end of the 19th century, the Charles T. Ellis House was just one more abode in a raucous lineup of residences belonging to the nouveau riche on North Broad Street. This is where Philadelphia’s industrialist class celebrated its newfound wealth by building ostentatious homes along the newly-burgeoning roadway.
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