preservation alliance fall 04

MATTERSPRESERVATION

THE NEWSLETTER OF THE PRESERVATION ALLIANCE FOR GREATER PHILADELPHIA FALL 2004

fall 2004 preservation matters 1W W W. P R E S E R VAT I O N A L L I A N C E . C O M

PreservationAlliance

for greater philadelphia

Independence Square5th and Chestnut Streets, Philadelphia

SIGNIFICANCE Independence Square isthe location of Independence Hall and oneof the most significant park spaces inPhiladelphia. It was here that theDeclaration of Independence had its firstpublic reading. The square was purchasedby the Provincial government in 1730 toprovide the site for new municipal buildingsand has been a public park ever since. Overthe years many organizations in Philadel-phia have worked to preserve the square asan important public place and previouslyraised funds to remove buildings that onceoccupied portions of the square.

THREAT At the request of the Departmentof the Interior, which has declaredIndependence Hall to be a “key asset” forprotection from terrorism, the NationalPark Service recently prepared a securityplan which would erect a new security andrestroom building in the square. The siteproposed is the location where somebelieve the Declaration of Independencewas read. In addition, the plan proposes todivide the square in half with an eight-foothigh fence running from 5th to 6th streetsthrough the center of the square. Althoughthe plan has not been released publicly, thePark Service has implied that this plan rep-resents the preferred plan among severalalternatives it has examined.

RECOMMENDATION Independence Squareis owned by the City of Philadelphia andleased to the National Park Service. As theowner of the square, the City should exer-cise its fullest legal rights to review andapprove any plans for its alteration. ThePark Service’s current security arrange-ments appear to be working well, even ifthe temporary fencing provides an unat-tractive element on the mall. If there is aneed to change, new security plans shouldbe developed so as to create minimum

impact on historic sites, and should becapable of being removed easily once thecurrent security concerns have been

resolved. No plan should be adopted with-out full public disclosure and opportunityfor debate. C O N T I N U E D O N P A G E 2

This past summer the PreservationAlliance nominated six historicproperties to the Philadelphia

Register of Historic Places. Although thou-sands of city properties are already includ-ed on the historic register many propertiesare not listed, including some that areNational Historic Landmarks. Listing onthe register officially recognizes the archi-tectural and historic significance of theproperties and provides protection throughthe city’s historic preservation ordinance.The Alliance was fortunate to receive agrant from the Samuel S. Fels Fund to hirea summer intern who researched anddrafted the nominations.

The Philadelphia Historical Commissionofficially designated five of the nominatedproperties at its September, October, andNovember meetings and the sixth will beconsidered in December.

In addition, the Commission also approv-ed the designation of the Presser Home for

Retired Music Teachers. The Presser Homenomination was prepared by StephenAnderson, a resident of West Mt. Airy.

Richards Medical Research Building and David Goddard (Biology) Laboratories

3700-3800 Hamilton Walk1957-60; Architect: Louis I. Kahn

When Louis I. Kahn designed theRichards Medical Research Building, heenvisioned it as an alternative to the thencurrent form of modern architecture exem-plified by the sleek steel and glass prisms ofthe International Style. Kahn had alreadybegun to challenge modernist notions inhis earlier projects, but the RichardsBuilding represented the first, full realiza-tion of Kahn's design philosophy. Throughits heavy masonry construction and itsarticulation of what Kahn referred to as ‘ser-vant and served’ spaces. Three eight-storytowers comprise the research laboratories’ —the ‘served’ spaces — arranged around acore ‘servant’ tower that houses the eleva-tors, areas for lab animals, and utilities.

C O N T I N U E D O N P A G E 6

The Alliance’s secondannual EndangeredProperties List isbased on nomina-tions received from

community organizations, historicpreservation organizations, mem-bers of the Alliance and the generalpublic. We thank all those who sub-mitted nominations for their inter-est and concern for the historicproperties in their communities.

Kahn Masterpiece and Six Other Buildings Designated

Region’s Most Endangered Historic Properties

2 0 0 4ENDANGERED PROPERTIES LIST

P H I L A D E L P H I A

Independence Square■

Nugent Home for Baptists■

Presser Home for Retired Music Teachers

■

Dilworth House■

Historic School Buildings ■

Upper Roxborough National Historic Distric

■

Provident MutualLife Insurance Building

■

Chester Avenue Street Paving ■

Madison Square

R E G I O N A L

Dolington VillageBucks County

■

Heidelberg (Kerlin Farm)Montgomery County

■

Peter B

. Olson

Associated P

ress

Nugent Home for Baptistsand


West Johnson StreetMt. Airy, Philadelphia

SIGNIFICANCE The Nugent Home, for-mally called the George Nugent Home forBaptists, opened in 1896 as a retirementcommunity for elderly ministers andparishioners of Philadelphia’s Baptist com-munity. George Nugent made his fortuneas a manufacture in Upper MerionTownship. However, he resided in the Mt.Airy neighborhood and was dedicated tothe Baptist community in Philadelphia.Upon his death, he left hisestate of half a million dollarsfor the creation of the Baptisthome. Designed by J. FranklinStuckert, the well-respectedarchitect of many of Phila-del-phia’s churches, synagogues,and other religious buildings,the Nugent Home’s highchateau style and palatial sizefulfilled Nugent’s wish to cre-ate an architectural monu-ment. With its steeply pitchedroof, articulated with dormersand towers, and rich terra cottadetailing set against thebrown-orange colored Romanbrick, the Nugent Home isalmost a textbook chateau

structure and a prominent landmark in itsneighborhood.

Like its next-door neighborhood, thePresser Home for Retired Music Teachers isboth a distinguished architectural accom-plishment and a testament to a remarkableindividual. Theodore Presser founded thecompany that bears his name, which, bythe 1930s, was the leading music publisherin the world. As his music empire flour-ished, he became a generous philanthro-pist. Presser commissioned Davis andDavis to build a grand Renaissance Revivalstructure adjacent to his own home in Mt.Airy for retired music teachers. The threestory gray brick and limestone structurehoused about 100 retirees and continuedto operate until 1980. (Based on the nomi-nation prepared by Stephen Anderson.)

THREAT The future of both the NugentHome and Presser Home was threatened bythe expansion plans of a neighboring reli-gious institution. However, communityorganizations in West Mt. Airy respondedpromptly to the threat and, with the assistanceof the Alliance, both buildings were designat-ed by the Historical Commission therebyprotecting them from demolition. However,that does not solve the problem. Both build-ings are vacant. Unless a suitable developer isfound both properties may continue todecline and be demolished by neglect or foranother new development proposal.

RECOMMENDATION Community organ-izations and residents of West Mt. Airy andthe Preservation Alliance - all of whom sup-ported designation of the properties - now

have an obligation to assist theowner find an appropriate devel-oper for the properties. The con-tinuing rise of the real estatemarket in Mt. Airy and the still-glorious charm of the thesebuildings suggest that preserva-tion for apartments or condo-miniums may be possible. Bothbuildings are undoubtedly eligi-ble for listing on the NationalRegister of Historic Places. Thatwould provide access to invest-ment tax credits to help financerehabilitation. The Alliance hasalready begun to contact develop-ers experienced with historicproperties and encourage them tocontact the property owner.

2 preservation matters fall 2004 W W W. P R E S E R VAT I O N A L L I A N C E . C O M

Most Endangered PropertiesE X E C U T I V ED I R E C T O R ’ S

M E S S A G E

Our second annual Endangered

Properties List provides a

glimpse of the diverse range of

issues facing historic preservation in the

Philadelphia region. Derived from sug-

gestions made by community and

preservation organizations, the list

includes historic open spaces as well as

buildings, and thematic issues that

affect more than an individual building.

Unlike the simple prospect of historic

properties being lost by neglect or the

standard reasons for demolition, most

of these sites are threatened by unusual

circumstances that often have positive

aspects to them. Threats to demolish

schools in Philadelphia’s National

Register Thematic District of historic

schools are a consequence of the School

District of Philadelphia’s intent to

improve facilities for public education

by building new schools; the threat to

Independence Square is a result of the

National Park Service’s concern for

security at Independence Hall. The

unusual nature of these circumstances

often means that finding preservation

solutions may be difficult, but in many

instances opportunities for preserva-

tion are often hidden within the nature

of the danger itself.

At the same time as some buildings

and sites are endangered, others are

being protected. Thanks to a summer

intern grant from the Samuel S. Fels

Fund, the Alliance was able to begin

what we hope will be a regular process

of nominating buildings to the

Philadelphia Register of Historic Places.

Surprisingly, our research showed that

some National Historic Landmarks are

not protected from demolition or

adverse alteration. These nominations

also include our interest in identifying

buildings from the mid-20th century

that are now sufficiently old to be called

historic.

Both the Endangered Properties list

and the nominations for designation

were based on suggestions made by

community and historic preservation

organizations, members of the Alliance,

and other individuals. We thank you all

not only for your interest in preserva-

tion but for your vigilance; preservation

of the historic treasures of our commu-

nities would not be possible without the

eyes and voices of people like you.

JOHN ANDREW GALLERY

Executive Director

C O N T I N U E D F R O M P A G E 1

Presser Carriage House


SIGNIFICANCE The granite Belgian Blockwhich paves the 4200-4800 block of ChesterAvenue in West Philadelphia, along the Route13 Trolley Line, was a popular and highquality paving material when this area wasdeveloped in the 1880s. Of the hundreds ofmiles of roads in the City of Philadelphia,only 38 blocks retain historic paving mate-rials, and only nine streets retain the type ofblock paving seen here, known as ‘BelgianBlues’. Many who reside on this section ofChester Avenue consider the Belgian Blockpaving on their street to play a vital role in

the visual record of the neighborhood,placing its stately homes within an historiccontext that evokes the particular time andplace in which they were created. Thepaving also provides important, functionalevidence of the evolution and history ofthe city’s transportation systems.

THREAT In an effort to improve the dete-riorating track and roadbed along ChesterAvenue, SEPTA has announced plans toremove the Belgian Block paving in thesummer of 2005, and replace it with con-crete. This plan, in addition to replacing arelatively sturdy and permanent road sur-face with a far less stable one, woulddestroy the atmospheric interplay betweenthe stately old homes on Chester Avenueand the increasingly rare road material thathas been there since their construction.

RECOMMENDATION Almost all of thestones on these blocks retain moderate orhigh integrity—meaning they require littleor no patching or repairs. Instead of destroy-ing the entire street surface, SEPTA shouldreplace individual damaged blocks. Newblock of this type is readily available, and theUniversity of Pennsylvania has suggested thatits own stockpile of Belgian Blocks could bemade available for repairs and replacements.If further change is needed for trolley oper-ation, the example of Germantown Avenuein Chestnut Hill might be followed. There,trolley tracks were set in concrete in the cen-ter of the street, but similar paving blockswere retained along both sides of the street.

Madison Square 2200 and 2300 Blocks of Madison Square

South Philadelphia

SIGNIFICANCE These two blocks ofMadison Square, along with the 2300 blockof St. Albans Street, are known as the gardenblocks because of the distinctive gardens thatoccupy the place of a normal city street.Madison Square was created in the 1870s byCharles M.S. Leslie, a real estate investor, toprovide housing for middle class families.Each block contains shallow but wide two-story row houses with molded cornices andcarved stone lintels. The two blocks havelong been considered an important historicresource in South Philadelphia and werelisted in the Philadelphia Register ofHistoric Places in 1971.

THREAT Madison Square is declining fromneglect and unsuitable modifications of rowhouses. One house in the 2300 block wasdemolished and the remaining vacant lot isnow unused and the brick sidewalk in front

is in disrepair. Houses in the 2300 blockhave been altered in ways inconsistent withtheir historic character and the central gar-den area neglected. Many sections ofwrought-iron fence have fallen down andneed to be restored.

RECOMMENDATION Residents ofMadison Square need assistance in makingrepairs and improving the landscape of thecommon garden area. The vacant lotshould be acquired by the City and con-verted to a more useable garden area. Thegardens in both blocks could benefit frommodest landscaping assistance and fencerepair, perhaps accompanied with somemaintenance training for current home-owners. All of these improvements couldeasily be accomplished by an organizationlike Philadelphia Green working with resi-dents of the two blocks. In addition, theHistorical Commission should look atalterations that have been made to some ofthe houses, and inform residents that anychanges in the future require review by theHistorical Commission.

Dilworth House South Sixth Street

Society Hill, Philadelphia

SIGNIFICANCE Philadelphia MayorRichardson Dilworth built this house on theeast side of Washington Square in 1957.Dilworth’s decision to make his home in thethen-deteriorated area helped strengthen themid-twentieth century movement to restoreSociety Hill, a area containing the largestconcentration of 18th-century buildings ofany place in the country. The transformationof the area became renowned as one of thecountry’s most successful urban renewalprojects. In addition to his personal connec-tion with the renewal of this section of thecity, Dilworth was an important civic andpolitical leader. He was an important mem-ber of the group that led the reform of a cor-rupt city government in the 1950s serving asmayor and later as President of the Board ofEducation. The house is listed as a significantproperty in the Society Hill Historic District.

THREAT Recently the property owner,who purchased the Dilworth house withthe intent of maintaining it as a single fam-ily residence, has decided to take advantageof its Washington Square location and thebooming condominium market in Phila-delphia. He proposes to demolish it to builda ten-story condominium. In addition todestroying Mayor Dilworth’s historically sig-nificant house, a new structure of this sizewould greatly exceed the height allowed byzoning laws, and would diminish the charac-ter of the historic buildings that surround it.

RECOMMENDATION Mayor Dilworth’sHouse is an significant historic site inPhiladelphia both for its connection to an

important individual and an important partof the city’s history. It is an excellent exam-ple of the Colonial Revival style. The houseis in good condition and perfectly suitablefor the single-family use for which it wasdesigned and purchased. Civic groups andconcerned individuals (many of whichhave expressed support for preservationvia the Alliance’s website) should call uponthe City’s Historical Commission to protectthe site and deny any application for a per-mit for demolition.

Philadelphia Public Schools West Philadelphia and Citywide

SIGNIFICANCE The city of Philadelphiais graced with many beautiful school build-ings. Approximately sixty percent wereconstructed prior to World War II, manyby prolific school architects such as IrwinT. Catharine and Henry D. Richards.Approximately 150 of Philadelphia’s schools

are on the National Register of Historic Places.

THREAT In an effort to reinvigoratePhiladelphia’s public school system, theSchool Reform Commission intends to reno-vate many of the existing buildings and tobuild new schools, especially high schools.However, this plan also includes the demo-lition of such historic school buildings asAudenried High in South Philadelphia, con-structed in 1930, and Bluford Elementary inOverbrook, constructed in 1908, and WestPhiladelphia High School—all of whichare listed in the National Register District.

RECOMMENDATION Many of Philadel-phia’s older schools are in better physicalcondition than those built in the 1950s and60s, when tightened budgets sometimesresulted in lower quality buildings. The factthat school buildings are old doesn’t inher-ently mean that they are outmoded or can-not be adapted to current needs. Moreover,many school buildings no longer needed forschool purposes have been converted toother uses including housing. The SchoolDistrict should carefully evaluate whetherany school included in the National RegisterDistrict can be rehabilitated for its own needsand allow developers to evaluate suchbuildings for other needs before demolitionis considered. Any demolition of buildingswithin the National Register District requiresreview by the Pennsylvania Historical andMuseum Commission, which should pro-vide opportunity for public commentbefore rendering any decisions of its own.

Chester AvenueHistoric Street Paving

West Philadelphia

Matthew

DeJulio


Dolington VillageUpper and Lower Makefield Townships,

Bucks County

SIGNIFICANCE This rural crossroads vil-lage in Bucks County is both a locally re-cognized historic district and is listed onthe National Register of Historic Places:Seventy of the village’s 94 structures con-tribute to the historic character of theDolington National Register District.

The village is comprised of early to mid-19th-century Federal style vernacularbuildings, mostly single-family houses onceinhabited by a community of independentartisans and small businessmen. The hous-es within the district are unified visually bytheir similar size, scale, setback, and regularpattern along the road. Despite increasedsuburban development of the surroundingtownships and heavy traffic through thevillage, Dolington has maintained its 19th-century rural character.

THREAT A developer plan to build almost296 dwellings on less than 300 acres of landin and around the Dolington HistoricDistrict. Development of this magnitudewould overwhelm the historic integrity of

the village, as it would transform its charac-ter-defining rural, agricultural setting intoanother subdivided suburban outpost. Thisproposal may result in the village beingremoved from the National Register.

The current construction plan also callsfor the demolition of some historic struc-tures, the widening of the district’s primaryroadway to four lanes, and the addition ofseveral traffic lights, further sapping thedistrict’s rural character and placing somehistoric homes dangerously close to traffic.

RECOMMENDATION The proposeddevelopment plan should be turned downnot only because it will destroy theDolington Historic District, but also becauseit is at odds with the Township’s zoning ordi-nance, which requires that new buildings beof a scale that will maintain the character ofthe district and be in harmony with theexisting character of the general vicinity.

Development more consistent withDolington’s historic character should beencouraged using ‘smart-growth’ principlessuch as limited land development whichpreserves critical open space while simultane-ously allowing for building a denser ‘tradi-tional’ new community in an area that wouldnot negatively impact Dolington village.

Provident Mutual Life Insurance Building 46th and Market Streets, Philadelphia

SIGNIFICANCE The Provident Mutual Life InsuranceCompany Building is one of the most stunning structuresin West Philadelphia, giving an air of grandeur to an eco-nomically depressed area. This 361,000 square foot, classi-cally-inspired, four-story office building was constructedin limestone and steel from a 1926 design by the promi-nent architectural firm of Cram & Ferguson, architects ofPrinceton University’s Chapel, and Architecture School, aswell as many prominent churches and office buildings onthe East Coast. When Provident Mutual moved to CenterCity it donated the building to the Urban EducationDevelopment RCC, which in turn has leased space to avariety of organizations and institutions.

THREAT As part of its plan to improve school facilities,the School District wants to replace the existing WestPhiladelphia High School with a new school on a new site.The District has expressed interest in purchasing ProvidentMutual for this purpose. No decision has yet been reached

on the preferred site for a new high school nor has a decision been made on whether to demolish or rehabilitateProvident Mutual if that site were selected. However,concern has been expressed that the costs of rehabilita-tion may be significantly higher than new constructionon the site.

RECOMMENDATION If West Philadelphia High requiresrelocation, a renovated Provident Mutual Building seemslike a particularly appropriate edifice for a new school. Itssize would allow for spacious classrooms, laboratories, andlecture spaces, and the large amount of open space on thesite could provide outdoor recreation facilities. Conver-sion of Provident Mutual to a high school would provide aWest Philadelphia equivalent to the conversion of the his-toric Ridgway Library on South Broad Street to the HighSchool for Creative and Performing Arts. Development ofthe building by a private entity with a lease to the schooldistrict might make it possible to obtain investment taxcredits for rehabilitation of the building, which could providesufficient funding to offset any added construction cost.The building is too significant to lose without fully explor-ing such an approach.

Heidelberg (Kerlin Farm)Ashbourne Road and Oak Lane,

Cheltenham Township,Montgomery County

SIGNIFICANCE The oldest portion ofthis sprawling, three-story farmhouse likelydates from the years immediately followingthe English colonization of Pennsylvania,making parts of this late 17th-centuryhome perhaps one of the oldest in the state.

Ownership of the house passed from itsQuaker builder, Everand Bolton, to hisdescendants in the 18th century, then to thelocally prominent Haines family, horticul-turists who began an extensive garden herein the 19th and 20th centuries. RobertBowen Haines, who renamed the property‘Heidelberg’, moved to this Cheltenhamfarm in 1850 from his ancestral home Wyck,Germantown’s oldest surviving home.

The original two-story colonial structurewas added onto and transformed through-out its history, gaining German colonial,early Federal, and Second Empire addi-tions, and a Gothic Revival porch. The finaladdition onto the house was a two-storybrick guest wing constructed in 1898.

THREAT State Representative LawrenceCurry calls Heidelberg “an extremely endan-gered property”, a victim of many years ofneglect. Its current owner moved to Iowa sev-eral years ago, and has essentially abandoned

maintenance of the property. Vulnerable tovandalism, the once-impressive gardens arenow cluttered with junk and refuse, and por-tions of the roof are in danger of collapse.Neighbors fear that unless the house’s for-tunes change in the near future, this long-lived witness to Pennsylvania’s history maybecome a victim of ‘demolition by neglect’.The owner has been unresponsive to offers topurchase or help restore the property. Thereis speculation that future heirs to the prop-erty would rather sell it for development.

RECOMMENDATION Although return-ing Heidelberg to its former glory willrequire a substantial financial investment,halting its deterioration and stabilizing itsroof are very possible - and urgently neces-sary. If Heidelberg is to have a future, theproperty’s owner must begin cooperatingwith community members and govern-ment officials who wish to save the proper-ty by responsibly maintaining it, or by con-sidering reasonable purchase offers.

Cheltenham Township and MontgomeryCounty, both of which have tax liens on theproperty, might more aggressively exercisetheir property interests to motivate theowner toward selling the property to pri-vate or public parties that would respectthe history of the house and the large plotof land on which it lies. Limited develop-ment, which protects the most historicparts of the property with preservationeasements, is one possibility.

The A

thenaeum of P

hiladelphia


■ The future of The Lazaretto (Tinicum Township,Delaware County) - the nation’s only surviving exampleof an early quarantine station - is looking brighter: thisyear Tinicum Township signed an agreement of sale withthe developer-owners for the historic 1799 property onten riverfront acres. The State of Pennsylvania has offereda $2-million matching grant toward purchase and stabi-lization; the township has raised $1.5 million so far andmust find an additional $500,000.

■ Threatened by possible blight-clearing demolition aspart of Philadelphia’s Neighborhood TransformationInitiative, North Philadelphia Historic Blocks are stillsuffering from neglect and disinvestment. However theCity has responded with a better planning process foridentifying and incorporating historic structures in rede-velopment plans, and is even considering creating a $1-million fund to assist low-income homeowners in his-toric districts in the repair of their homes.

■ Preservation of the 1923 Germantown Town Hall(5928 Germantown Avenue) has received support fromCouncilwoman Donna Reed Miller. At the

Councilwoman’s request a task force was created by theGreater Germantown Housing Development Corporationto explore ways to use the vacant structure. The task forceexpected to begin a feasibility with state funds included ina larger grant, but that grant has been delayed and the taskforce is exploring other ways to fund such a study.

■ One of southwest Philadelphia’s last remaining farm-houses, the circa 1764, modest stone structure at 1817Vodges Street is still vacant, although reported to besealed and stabilized.

■ Despite several serious, pro-preservation purchaseoffers over the last twelve months, the Reverend Yoon,owner of the monumental Lynnewood Hall (a.k.a. theWidener Estate; 920 Spring Avenue, Elkins Park) stillappears to be unwilling to accept reasonable offers to buythis 1898 Gilded-Age estate designed by HoraceTrumbauer.

■ Designed in 1846 by noted architect John Notman,Christ Temple Church (1617 Girard Avenue) is stilllargely vacant and deteriorating despite efforts to raise

repair funds by its small, struggling congregation.

■ Facing a similar fundraising challenge is the nonprofitUptown Entertainment and Development Corporation,owner of the 1920s Art Deco Uptown Theater (2240North Broad Street) which it hopes to revitalize as anentertainment and media-production center for its northPhiladelphia community.

■ The congregation of the Church of Christ (63rd andVine Streets) has won court approval to demolish its 1895Romanesque-styled city landmark. Claiming thatstructural problems are insurmountable, the congrega-tion intends to sell the cleared site for commercialdevelopment.

■ The historic campus of the former Sleighton FarmSchool for Girls (485 Valley Road, Glen Mills, DelawareCounty) is still threatened by subdivision and residentialdevelopment, although one prospective developer haswithdrawn and others are studying ways to incorporatemany of the 29 historic structures on the 350-acre siteinto proposed development plans.

U P DAT E 2003 PRESERVATION ALLIANCE MOST ENDANGERED PROPERTIES

Upper Roxborough Historic District

Philadelphia

SIGNIFICANCE Upper Roxborough is aunique section of Philadelphia. The areacontains a combination of open space andcolonial, mid-19th century, and significantearly 20th century buildings not foundelsewhere in the city. The area’s 127 historicstructures constitute the vast majority ofits buildings, and consist of surviving farmbuildings, industrial buildings and workerhousing, and houses built in variousRevival styles, including Greek, Colonial,and Tudor. The area also contains a pump-ing station dating from the late 1860s thatonce supplied water to Manayunk andspurred its industrialization. This still-rural area supports many species ofwildlife, and is markedly different from the

surrounding portions of Roxborough,which have been heavily built up withpost-WWII housing and commercialdevelopment. Much of the area is aNational Register Historic District; includ-ing the “Barker Tract” (protected fromdevelopment by preservation easements)and the Schuylkill Valley Nature Center.

THREAT The City of Philadelphia is thecurrent owner of the 40-acre UpperRoxborough Reservoir. The reservoir hasbecome a natural area that provides a sanc-tuary for many different forms of wildlife.In recent years, the City has received offersfrom developers wishing to develop thereservoir and its surrounding area. Themost recent proposal is for construction ofover 240 homes. Development of this den-sity would not only annihilate the naturalarea that has developed at the site of thereservoir, it would also destroy Upper

Roxborough’s unique sense of place whichis one of its primary claims to historic sig-nificance, and a reason a portion of UpperRoxborough is listed on the NationalRegister of Historic Places.

RECOMMENDATION The City of Phila-delphia should resist proposed plans todevelop the reservoir. There are amplelocations in the city were new housing canbe built, but there are virtually none wherethe unique natural habitat and conditionsthat now exist at the reservoir could berecreated. A first step in the preservation ofthe area would be to support the expansionof the National Register Historic Districtand to follow that up with a local historicdistrict to protect the unique collection ofhistoric properties and open space. Thereservoir itself should remain in publicownership and preserved as a naturalwildlife area.

Special MentionIn both 2003 and 2004 the Harbison Dairy

Water Tower was nominated to the Alliance’sEndangered Properties List. While not as sig-nificant as many other sites, the Dairy Toweris a wonderful and distinctive landmark in itsneighborhood. The milk-bottle-shapedwater tower once advertised the business ofHarbison Dairy and Milk Depot. The dairyhas long since closed, but the milk bottle,highly visible from the Market-Frankford El,acts as a fond reminder of Kensington’sindustrial history. Once a cheerful neighbor-hood marker, decades of weather exposureand neglect have destroyed the water tower’sutility. Now the rusted, milk bottle is a tower-ing eyesore sitting atop the vacant, but hand-some industrial building that once housedthe Harbison offices.

It’s easy to imagine how much fun it wouldbe to see a repainted milk bottle high abovethe industrial and residential buildings ofKensington. Perhaps it could simply bepainted white, as it probably was originally,and carry the dairy industry’s campaign slo-gan ‘got milk?’ Or perhaps become a projectfor the Mural Arts Program. Distinctive signsare historic resources in themselves and asworthy of preservation as buildings and parks.

6 preservation matters fall 2004

The movement to improve the treatmentof the mentally ill was an important part ofthe social reform movements that sweptUnited States during the nineteenth century.Dr. Thomas Story Kirkbride and the city ofPhiladelphia played prominent roles in thatmovement, when in the 1850s, Kirkbridecollaborated with prominent architectSamuel Sloan to design a hospital for thementally ill. The Pennsylvania Hospital for

the Insane, as it was originally known, influ-enced the construction of similar institutionsin thirty-one other states. Furthermore,the enlightened design principle behindKirkbride's hospital-that the insane should betreated with respect-motivated a new under-standing of, and compassion for the mental-ly ill. It was in recognition of the hospital'sstatus as an iconic institution that it becamea National Historic Landmark in 1965.

Nugent Home for Baptists221 West Johnson Street

1895; Architect J. Franklin Stuckert


101-121 West Johnson Street1895; Architect, Davis and Davis

SEE ENDANGERED PROPERTIES PAGE 2

1900 Chestnut (Robert Glenndenning Building)

1934; Architect: Frank E. Hahn

This Art Moderne building, dating to the1930s is a little-altered example of the dis-tinctive corner commercial architecturethat developed when this portion ofChestnut Street changed from residentialto mixed commercial uses. Similar build-ings can be found at the intersection ofmany of Center City’s numbered streetswith Chestnut and Walnut streets. The typ-ical design consists of a two-story buildingwith its narrow width on Chestnut orWalnut streets. The corner is often clippedto take advantage of the corner location.1900 Chestnut follows this pattern but isdistinctive because of its Art Moderne styleand detailing as seen in the original lightfixtures and stone carvings around the19th Street entrance to the upper floor.

New Century Guild1307 Locust Street

The New Century Guild building at 1307Locust Street has served as the organiza-tion’s headquarters continuously from1906 to the present. Founded in 1882, theNew Century Guild was one of the earliest,largest, and most successful of the manyorganizations created across the country inthe 19th century to deal with the seriousproblems that arose as more and morewomen entered the labor force. From theoutset, the New Century Guild explicitlystated that its goal was to address the spe-cific needs of “self-supporting women,” abold step at a time when many Americansbelieved that no self-respecting marriedwoman would work for pay outside thehome. Not only was the Guild among thefirst of such organizations formed any-where in the United States, but it was alsoamong the most flourishing and long-lived.The important and unique role played bythe New Century Guild led it to be nameda National Historic Landmark in 1992.

Kahn Masterpiece and Six Other Buildings Designated

The Kirkbride Center (Institute of Pennsylvania Hospital)

111 North 49th Street1854-59; Architect: Samuel Sloan and Thomas Story Kirkbride

C O N T I N U E D F R O M P A G E 1

A smaller brick exhaust shaft, providingadditional ‘servant’ space, flanks each labo-ratory tower. The different spaces are legi-ble from the exterior as well; brick-cladvertical towers articulate the ‘servant’spaces and are juxtaposed against the glass,concrete, and brick of the ‘served spaces.

As noted historian David B. Brownleestated in his letter of support for the desig-nation, “Kahn is the pivotal figure in theremaking of modern architecture in thelast third of the twentieth century, and theRichards Building is the monument thatfirst completely expressed his vision.”

Lasher Printing Company Building

1309 Noble StreetCirca 1927; Architect: Philip Tyre

The Lasher Printing Company Buildingrepresents a rare example of Art Decoindustrial architecture in Philadelphia. Itembodies a synthesis of architecturaldesign and engineering that was the hall-mark of its architect, Philip Tyre, andmakes it unique amongst otherPhiladelphia Art Deco structures. Tyre wasboth a trained engineer and architect andboth of these elements can be found in thebuilding. The form of the building is thework of an engineer, as it seems to logical-ly derive from the building materials andthe functional needs of the client.However, it was Tyre, the architect, whothen overlaid onto this rational structuremonumental Art Deco motifs derivedfrom Native American influences.

J. Randall C

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J. Randall C

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W W W. P R E S E R VAT I O N A L L I A N C E . C O M

WE DN ESDAY DECE M B E R 8

“Mansions & Monuments”Lecture and Book Signing

with Jim Garrison AIA5:30 - 7:30 pm

215 South 16th Street, Philadelphia

Join the Alliance at the historicRacquet Club of Philadelphia as wewelcome author Jim Garrison for alecture and book signing to celebratethe launch of his newest bookMastering Tradition: The ResidentialArchitecture of John Russell Pope(Acanthus Press $79.99). 15% off theretail cover price of the book for thisevent only; proceeds benefit thePreservation Alliance.

TU ESDAY DECE M B E R 14

“Historic Sacred Places of Philadelphia”

Lecture and Book Signingwith Roger Moss and Thomas Crane

5:30 - 7:30 pm19th & Rittenhouse Square

Pre-holiday lecture and book sign-ing with renowned author RogerMoss and photographer ThomasCrane marks the holiday shoppingseason with a great gift idea! Join theAlliance in the main sanctuary ofHoly Trinity Church on historicRittenhouse Square for a presentationand book signing reception. Attendeeswill also receive the PreservationAlliance’s “Self Guided Walking Tour”of other historic sacred places in theRittenhouse Square area. This eventmarks the kick off of the 2004-2005tour series “A Year of Historic SacredPlaces” in honor of the book and fea-turing our city’s incredible sacredgems, known and unknown.

FALL 2004EVENTS


Philadelphia institutions received allsix of the Save America’s Treasuresawards for Pennsylvania. Save

America’s Treasures is a joint program of thePresident’s Committee on the Arts, theNational Park Service, and the National En-dowments of the Arts and Humanities, withthe support of the National Trust for HistoricPreservation. Grants are made to support thepreservation of historic sites, objects, collec-tions and artistic works. The Alliance con-gratulates each of the following recipients:

Mother Bethel AME Church, MotherBethel Foundation. A grant of $450,000will be used to address structural problemsin the monumental bell tower and to repairthe slate roof. Mother Bethel, founded byRichard Allen, is located on the oldest pieceof land continuously owned by AfricanAmericans in the United States. The cur-rent church, designed by Hazlehurst andHuckel, was constructed in 1889-90 and isan outstanding example of the RomanesqueRevival style.

The Woodlands, Philadelphia. A grantof $200,000 will be used to replace thedeteriorated roof and to address structuralproblems. The Woodlands, located inWoodland Cemetery in West Philadelphiawas originally built in 1742 and remodeledand expanded in 1788-89. It was one of thefinest mansions of its period and is an earlyexample of the Federal style.

Louis I. Kahn, Collection, The Archi-tectural Archives of the University ofPennsylvania. A $70,000 grant will be usedto conserve and rehouse the sketchbooks,personal drawings and construction draw-ings, which document the artistic vision ofLou Kahn, one of the most influentialAmerican architects of the 20th century.(See article, page 1)

Louise Nevelson’s Atmosphere andEnvironment XII, Fairmount Park ArtAssociation. A $10,000 grant will support

conservation treatment to address severecorrosion damage. Nevelson's steel sculp-ture will then be returned to its locationoutside the west entrance to the Philadel-phia Museum of Art.

Early 20th Century Manuscripts,American Philosophical Society. A$164,000 grant will be used to implement aconservation program for fourteen collec-tions of manuscripts including the nation’spremier collection documenting NativeAmerican languages, the papers of NobelLaureate Peyton Rous, and the papers ofpioneer researchers in the fields of geneticsand biochemistry.

Microfilmed Land Records, City ofPhiladelphia Department of Records. A$51,000 grant will be used to transfer thecollection to a more stable medium.

The Traditional BuildingExhibition and Conferencewill take place in the heart ofhistoric Philadelphia, April 27-30, 2005 at the PennsylvaniaConvention Center.

2005R E S T O R I N G T H E P A S T , B U I L D I N G T H E F U T U R E

www.t rad i t ionalbui ld ingshow.com

Philadelphia Philadelphia 2005 Highlights� NEW tracks with expanded educational programming in: preservation; rehabilitation; restoration and renovation; traditionalnew construction; new urbanism and suburban in-fill construction;classicism; modernism; and more!

� Earn valuable learning units for AIA Continuing Education

� Discover hundreds of hard-to-find products and services youwon’t see anywhere else

� Network with other professionals who share your passion for traditional building

Philadelphia Philadelphia20052005For More Information:

1-800-982-6247info@restoremedia.comwww.traditionalbuildingshow.com

2004 America’s Treasures Awards

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PRESERVATION ALLIANCE

FALL 2004EVENTS

The Woodlands (ABOVE) and corrosion on Atmosphere and Environment XII (BELOW).

Are You a Member?

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

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NEW MEMBERS

Ms. Dianne P. AnthonyMs. Ruth I. BirchettMr. Mitchell K. BlackMs. Ingrid BogelMr. William C. BolgerMs. Ellen C BuckleyMs. Patrice A. CarrollMr. Christopher D. ChimiclesMs. Kimberly Anne CullenMr. David S. DíAngeloMs. Nancy DeanMr. Christopher J. DoerrMr. Morris Dorrance Jr.Ms. Suzanne EaglesonMr. Eamon EganMr. Ron Emrich

& Mr. Marc ColemanMs. M.L. Alexandra EscherMs. Martha EverettMr. Joseph FayerMs. Tranda S. FischelisMr. David FismanMr. Mark FloodMs. Tracy GalligherMr. & Mrs. Sheldon L. GantzMs. Janice A. GaultMr. Robert J. GiacopettiMr. Lester T GoldsteinMs. Phyllis HalpernMs. Carol Ann HarrisMr. Henry G. HartMs. Stephanie A. HarzewskiMs. Jennifer E. HayesMs. Patricia A. HenningMr. William V. HigginsMr. Larry D. HoustonMr. & Mrs. Mark JensonMr. Lane F. KelmanMr. Joseph M. KoniecznyMr. Paul Lader

Ms. Laura A. LaneMr. Samuel M. Lehrer, Esq.Mr. & Mrs. Richard J. LerchMs. Carol A. MenkeMr. Michael H. MillerMs. Rae MunroeMs. Edith Newhall & David WaltersMs. Eileen M. O’Brien

& Mr. Samuel HopkinsMs. Pamela P. PostMr. Charles J. RobertsonMr. Robert D. ShapiroMr. Christopher P. ShenianMr. Vincent J. TagueMs. Julie A. TaylorMs Julie D. WatsonMr. Kevin M. WattsMs. Sandra W. WeckesserMr. & Mrs. Dane Tilden WellsMs. Lillian K. WilliamsMr. Nicholas WymanMr. Thomas M. Zaleski

SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS

Buerger Family FoundationTed & Stevie WolfKate Stover & Tim WoodMutual Associates Ltd.

and Frankel Enterprises Kathy DowdellSusan GlassmanDr. & Mrs. Henry JordanEugene LefevreEdward A. LivaMrs. Nancy MostMichael SingerPaul SteinkeThe Abstract CompanyCitizens BankCohen Seglias Pallas

Greenhall & Furman

Dranoff PropertiesINTECH ConstructionJohn Milner ArchitectsJohn Milner Associates Inc.E. Allen Reeves Inc.

PROFESSIONAL PARTNERS

AIA PhiladelphiaAtkins Olshin Lawson-BellBlackney Hayes ArchitectsBower Lewis & ThrowerBuell Kratzer Powell Ltd.Cecil Baker & AssociatesCenter City DistrictChrist Church Preservation TrustClarion/ Samuels Associates, RealEstate AppraisersCloud Gehshan AssociatesCohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall

& Furman PCCultural Resource Consulting GroupDagit Saylor ArchitectsDan Lepore & Sons CompanyDilworth Paxson LLPDOMUS ConstructionDuane Morris Goldman Property GroupHillier ArchitectsJ.J.Deluca Company, Inc.J.S.Cornell & SonJK Roller ArchitectsJohn Milner ArchitectsJohn Milner Associates, Inc.KB Consultants, Inc.Kelly Maiello, Inc.Kise Straw & KolodnerKPMGKreiger ArchitectsLangan Engineering

& Environmental Services Inc.

LZA TechnologyMoorland StudiosO'Donnell & Naccarato, Inc.Palmer Waterproofing Inc.Parkway CorporationPatrick Murphy & Associates Inc.Paul Steege & Associates ArchitectsPennrose PropertiesPepper Hamilton LLPPeter Olson PhotographyPhiladelphia Housing AuthorityPhiladelphia Industrial

Development Corp.Philadelphia Newspapers Inc.Philadelphia Private BankPlumstead StudiosPowers & Co.Raff Company BuildersReading Terminal Market Corp.Saul Ewing LLPShelterfeld Valuation ServiceSteven Erisoty PaintingsConservationStradley Ronan Stevens & YoungSusan Maxman & PartnersTemple Crown RealtyTemple UniversityThe Abstract CompanyThe Goldenberg GroupToll Brothers, Inc.Tower Investments Inc.Ueland, Junker, McCauley,

Nicholson ArchitectsUrban Engineers, In.Voith & MactavishW.S. Cumby & Son, Inc.Walnut Tree ConstructionWatson & Henry AssociatesWesley ArchitectsYour Part Time-Controller

1616 Walnut Street, Suite 2110 Philadelphia PA 19103

TEL 215.546.1146 FAX 215.546.1180 E-MAIL [email protected] WEB SITE www.preservationalliance.com

B OA R D O F D I R E CTO R S

Paul Steinke, chairmanJohn D. Milner, vice chairmanLenore Millhollen, secretary

Edward A. Liva, treasurer

Alan Buerger, Peter BentonKathy Dowdell, Carl E. Dranoff

Rosemarie Fabien, Susan GlassmanMarian A. Kornilowicz, Eugene Lefevre,Betty Marmon, David Moltke-Hansen,

C. Craig Schelter, William Schwartz,Christophe Terlizzi, Jeremiah J. White, Jr.

S TA F F

John Andrew Gallery, Executive Director ext.22J. Randall Cotton, Associate Director ext.21Pippa Scott Liebert, Director of Membership

and Special Events, ext.19P R E S E R VAT I O N M AT T E R S

David L. S. Walters, Design & Production

The Preservation Alliance for

Greater Philadelphia actively promotes

the appreciation, protection, and revitalization

of the Philadelphia region’s historic buildings,

communities and landscapes

PRESERVATION ALLIANCE FOR GREATER PHILADELPHIA


Are You a Member? Join in the efforts of the Preservation Alliance

to preserve the architectural treasures and historic places of the Philadelphia region.

For member benefits, go to our website

www.preservationalliance.com and join online or, use the form below:

❏ Student $25 ❏ Individual $35 ❏ Household $50 ❏ Contributor $100

❏ Sustainer $250 ❏ Patron $500 ❏ Benefactor $1,000

Total amount enclosed: $ ___________________________

❏ My check (payable to Preservation Society) is enclosed

Please charge my: ❏ Visa ❏ Master Card ❏ American Express Card

Card #: __________________________________ Exp. Date: ______________

Name: ____________________________________________________________

Address: _________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

PHONE (day) ___________________ PHONE (eve) _____________________

EMAIL _________________________

❏ I prefer not to receive membership gifts etc.

Please mail this application to: Preservation Alliance 1616 Walnut Street, Suite 2110, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Memberships are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. A copy ofthe official registration and financial information may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll free within Pennsylvania:

1.800.732.0999. Registration does not mean endrsement.

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

preservation alliance fall 04

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