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Dear City Council & Mayor Street:

I feel that changing the current process for historic
designation would greatly impede the process and, over the long
term, could endanger the historic signifigance of
Philadelphia. Our history is too great to endanger by changing
the current system and this change should be viewed as
significant.

Thank you.

Matthew Myers


Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell has introduced Bill No. 020462 to
the Rules Committee of City Council that would no longer allow
the Historic Commission to create historic districts. Instead,
only City Council could create historic districts. This would
remove the process from a panel of experts that are required by
law to have a democratic process that includes extensive
community input, to a political process. It would also allow
for the disproportionate influence of large landlords and
property owners who could invest in coercing City Council.

Community Groups around the city, and the Preservation
Community, are aghast at the Blackwell Ordinance. Please write
your Councilperson and the Mayor, and let them know you OPPOSE
Councilwoman Blackwell's ordinance. Tell them you support
historic preservation, and the program created by then
Councilman John Street.

Councilwoman Blackwell has introduced this bill, despite saying
she doesn't understand the current process for historic
designation or what the Historic Commission is. Any changes in
law should be based in best practices from other cities and
good information!

Dear City Council & Mayor Street:

Council must continue to allow the Historic Commission to create historic districts. City Council must not remove this authority from a panel of experts in this field. City Council must continue to require a democratic process that includes extensive community input.

This badly written bill would also allow for the disproportionate influence of large landlords and property owners who could invest in coercing City Council.

Turn down this bill.

Thank you for listening to a citizen who cares how the neighborhoods look, and how they differ from one another & maintain their form and their look.

Dear City Council & Mayor Street:

I write to you today as an outsider, a non-Philadelphian, who has
lived in your city for short periods over the last ten years.
Perhaps this standpoint diminishes the weight of my observations
about Bill 020462. However, if Philadelphia is serious about
economic revilatlization and attracting tourist dollars, an
outsider's perspective is absolutely in order.

What brings me to this city is its historic buildings. While
Philadelphia's elected officials often seem to believe that more
demolition and more indulgence of realtors' demands are the keys
to future prosperity, it is through preservation that the city
retains its appeal to tourists and prospective residents.
Society Hill stands as evidence that preservation is good
business. As other neighborhoods lose their historic fabric, so,
too, will they lose their desirability.

If preservation is a form of enlightened self-interest, Bill
020462 is the opposite. It is at once a naked grab of political
power by Councilwoman Blackwell, a slap to neighborhood
residents, and a bone thrown to narrow business interests.
Again, I cannot speak as a long-term resident. But as someone
who has admired Philadelphia for years and brought dozens of
friends on tours of the city, I have a strong sense of what lures
people here. It is history and architecture. It is not empty
lots, generic housing, chain stores, or other products of
laissez-faire development. Bill 020462 is a recipe for the latter.

Thanks for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Aaron Wunsch

Dear City Council & Mayor Street:
The Historic Commmision is much more qualified to make
decisions about historic designation and they should be allowed
to continue to do so. One of the city's biggest assets is its
historical value. This should be protected by experts in the
field not politicians! Leave the Historical Commission Alone!!!

October 8, 2002

Honorable Jannie Blackwell
City Hall Room 408
Philadelphia, PA 19107

Dear Councilwoman Blackwell,
I urge you to withdraw your bill that would supercede the
Historical Commission and replace it with "councilmanic
prerogative". Such privileges too often serve narrow interests
at the expense of the city as a whole.
A careful review and hearings by the Historical Commission is be
the best way to air the varying views of neighborhoods regarding
designations of historic districts and indeed all such matters
across the city.
Your attempt to circumvent this traditional process opens these
issues to manipulation and corruption by special interests.
Please withdraw your proposed ordinance.

Sincerely,
Mary L. Goldman

October 29, 2002

Councilwoman Jannie Blalckwell
Room 408 City Hall
Philadelphia, PA 19107-3290

Dear Councilwoman Blackwell:
I am writing to request that you rescind your proposed bill that
would place the creation of historic districts in City Council
rather than the Philadelphia Historic Commission.
I am a strong supporter of the "West Philadelphia Streetcar
Suburb Municipal Historic District." The preservation of the
historic heritage of the area is vital to its future economic
and social development. It benefits all of its residents.
As a resident of University City for nearly thirty years I have
been a homeowner for all of that time, a landlord, and have
served on the boards of various community organizations. From my
beginnings as a block captain on the 4600 block of Hazel Avenue
I have supported the preservation of the heritage of the area
through community activities and work on my own properties. I
now live in Spruce Hill wish to see it protected as well.
Again, I request that you rescind your proposed bill altering
the way historic districts are created and that you support the
designation of the historic district in Spruce Hill.


Yours truly,
John B. Hall

3961 Baltimore Avenue
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104

October 31,2002


Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell City Hall, Room 408 Philadelphia,
PA 19107-3290

Historic District Ordinance
Re:


Dear Councilwoman Blackwell:
This letter is to urge you to rescind the bill which you have
proposed to modify the procedures for designation of historic
districts in the city. As I understand it, your proposal would
preclude designation by the Philadelphia Historical Commission
and would require approval by City Council. It would thus weaken
one of the two significant components of the designation
approval process and weight the process in favor of those
interest groups with greater lobbying resources than the
residents of a proposed historic district.
In line with the original ordinance sponsored by then-Councilman
John Street, the current process blends professional evaluation
by Historical Commission staff and Commissioners with the
democratic process of comment by residents of a proposed
historic district. The Historical Commission policy includes
public meetings, mailings to residents of proposed districts and
other avenues for education about and public comment on proposed
districts. Typically the Historical Commission supports only
those nominations for which there is broad resident support. The
process mirrors the process for approval of districts nominated
to the National Register of Historic Places, but with greater
emphasis on consensus of the affected residents. It serves both
the public objective of preserving the historic integrity, which
is such a key ingredient of neighborhood character, and the
private objectives of residents who invest in and take pride in
those neighborhoods and want protection of their investment.
In particular, approval of the Spruce Hill Historic District at
this time could reinforce the achievements of other initiatives.
With the University City Special Services District, the
university-sponsored home mortgage incentives, the city tax
incentives for home renovation and the new partnered
neighborhood school, owner-occupancy is returning and making
inroads into the dangerous trend toward consolidation of
investment properties in the hands of a few large landlords.
Having lived in the proposed historic district for 22 years and
continuing to conduct my architectural practice here, I have
been observing the trends for 33 years. My family invested in
restoration of several historic buildings, which contribute to
the district. I believe that protection of the historic
character of the neighborhood will continue to attract and hold
more citizens who wish to live, work and raise their children in
this rich urban environment. In the neighborhood most
immediately experienced by university students, that becomes a
quality-of-life enticement for them to stay in the city after
graduation, as I did.
Sincerely yours,

Marianna M. Thomas

4424 Pine Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104

November 11, 2002

Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell
City Hall, Room 408
Philadelphia, PA 19107-3290

Dear Ms. Blackwell,
We write to express our support for the current arrangement,
according to which—after ample opportunity for community-wide
discussion and input-designations of "historic" districts are
made by the Philadelphia Historical Commission. We feel that it
provides for wide participation in the deliberative process by
all concerned. We are therefore distressed by the thought that
all the good work done by residents toward giving creating a
West Philadelphia Streetcar Surburb Historic District that has
taken place over many years might end up having been wasted as a
result of a misguided effort to short circuit a process that has
seemed fair enough elsewhere in the city in the past.
Accordingly, we urge you to withdraw Bill 020462.
With regard to the merits of the case for West Philadelphia, we
are strongly in favor, In our view, we have a beautiful and
distinctive neighborhood, where property values should continue
to grow if we all work together to preserve the features that
make it attractive. There is no reason why our part of the
city should be considered less "historic" and less worthy of
recognition and protection than neighborhoods in Center City and
Chestnut Hill. We wish to add that we own not only a single-
family house (where we have lived for over twenty-eight years)
but also a six-unit apartment building (which we have managed
for over twenty-two years) next door to where we live. Andrew is
also in charge of building maintenance at the Tabernacle United
Church. We feel deeply rooted in the community. We also feel
that all residents of the area will benefit from a joint effort
to preserve its historic character.
Let me add that we much appreciate the good work you have done
for the neighborhood in many respects over the years. We just do
not agree with the path you appear to have been taking in this
case!

Sincerely,
Andrew Lees Lynn Hollen Lees

Charna Eisner
4239 Osage Avenue
Philadelphia, Penn. 19104
November 8, 2002


Dear UCHS,
I support neighborhood historic district designation. I support
the current Historic District
approval process. I oppose Bill 020462, introduced by
Councilwoman Blackwell.
Bill 020462 proposes that city council rather than the
Philadelphia Historical Commision would have the final word in
deciding which neighborhoods are granted a historical
designation. This is an undemocratic bill that undermines
community consensus. I am a longtime University City resident, a
homeowner and registered voter. Blackwell's undemocratic bill
reeks of political corruption. It gives realtors and absentee
landlords the power to radically alter the character of this
historic neighborhood. The argument that it displaces homeowners
through gentrification is a fallacious one. Research shows that
historic neighborhoods are more stable and retain more of their
residents when compared to the city as a whole. ("The Economic
Benefits of Preserving Philadelphia's Past ", Ryshema &
Wiehagen).
Bill 020462 is contemptible, autocratic, inequitable and unfair
to the residents of Spruce Hill. This bill must be stopped
before it's too late to repair the damage.
Sincerely

Charna Eisner

Dear City Council & Mayor Street,

I strongly urge the withdrawal of bill 020462. I feel that it is
inappropriate to re-introduce politicial considerations into an
issue with established procedures and policies. By introducing
this bill the Council appears to be taking control of another
part of Philadelphia's economic infrastructure at a time when
your control of the property tax assessment process is
less than successful.

The council also appears to be responding to developers and
landlords who would wish to avoid behaving responsibly towards
the community by maintaining their properties and not to those
who moved to their communities in the hopes of renovating and
improving their properties.

Although I am by no means certain that I support Historic
Designation for my neighborhood (Spruce Hill), I
am certain that I do not want this process to be taken over
by City Council.

Thank you for your time and attention,

Andy Cole

Dear Councilwoman Blackwell, other Members of City Council, &
Mayor Street:

I am writing in hopes that you will withdraw Bill 020462,
Councilwoman Blackwell, and allow Philadelphia's Historical
Commission, the professionals on this subject, to continue to
make the decisions about designation of local historic districts
in Philadelphia. The ZBA handles zoning matters. L&I handles
property maintenance issues. Many, many other city departments
are in charge of their areas of expertise - why would the
Historical Commission not be given the same respect and
responsibility as its peers in other parts of City government?

I've heard that this bill was introduced because a few people in
the Spruce Hill area of University City are questioning the
motivation of those seeking historic district status. I was one
of the members of the University City Historical Society's 1987
committee which began the work which has now led to the
application for the area's designation, so I can tell you
exactly what the motivation was: we wanted to preserve the
Victorian buildings in our neighborhood.

On the committee with me back then were landlord Alan Klein and
neighbors Rose Amendolia, David Brownlee and Rebecca Trumbull.
We wanted to ensure that our incredible collection of historic
properties would be cared for and remain intact. We wanted to
make sure that the area would not lose more porches and suffer
from more iron railings used as replacements for columns and
spindles. We wanted to avoid the loss of slate mansard roofs,
and the accompanying high cost to unsuspecting homeowners, when
unscrupulous roofers would recommend replacing an entire slate
roof with asphalt shingles, rather than simply repairing with
new slates where old slates had failed. We wanted to stop
landlords from enclosing front porches to get an extra room to
rent out. We wanted to be sure that houses which could be saved
didn't get torn down. These are the types of concerns that led
to the local historic distric project in Spruce Hill. It was
very straightforward.

Now, 15 years later, I am glad that most people in the area
don't use wrought iron railings on their porches; the issues are
slightly different in 2002. But there is still a lot of sorry
work being done by clueless owners and contractors! Replacing
porch spindles with 2x4's. Replacing porch floors with decking
materials. Covering exterior wood trim with vinyl siding.
Painting bricks. Replacing windows with glass blocks.
Enclosing porches. If only the Historical Commission could help
guide these well-meaning but poorly executed projects! And if
we had the historic district designation, we would have that
expertise.

You joined us, Councilwoman Blackwell, when neighbors from the
4600 block of Cedar Avenue and the surrounding community
associations fought a porch enclosure on their block. An
unsympathetic dentist filled in the porch to add one more room
for his dental office. You stood with us in court, along with
State Rep. James Roebuck. And your home is on a street which
has suffered from neglected buildings and absentee owners. I
know that you understand firsthand these valid concerns of
neighborhood residents.

Furthermore, as our neighborhood's popularity increases now and
demand for rental units grows, a whole new set of preservation
issues arises. Landlords could easily be tempted to rip down
older buildings and build anew, replacing our history with
something modern and snazzy to appeal to undergraduate tenants'
sensibilities. This has happened in other areas of Philadelphia
and in other cities around the country. A neighborhood with
such a large transient population as Spruce Hill has an
everchanging group of inhabitants and constant pressures to
adapt to the latest whim. If it is to continue to be an
historic neighborhood, it needs to be protected from those whims.

There are many reasons for historic preservation. The exact
issues may not be the same as they were 15 years ago, but the
need remains to preserve our historic heritage. And the
University City Historical Society's motives today are just as
plain and simple as they were in 1987: to preserve historic
buildings.

As you continue to hear more about the Historical Commission's
work and the need for local historic districts, I hope that you
will reconsider and withdraw Bill 020462.

Yours truly,
Melani Lamond
University City

November 7, 2002

206 South 43rd St.
Philadelphia, P A 19104
The Honorable Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell
Room 408, City Hall
Philadelphia, P A 19107
Dear Councilwoman Blackwell:
I am writing concerning the Spruce Hill Historic District.
Since we have lived in this neighborhood for 20 years and have
helped improve the area and hope that it will continue to
improve, we are puzzled by the recent introduction of your bill
No. 020462 into Council which would not allow the City's
Historical Commission to create any new historic districts, but
all decisions about creating new districts would be in the hands
of the City Council. This seems to mean that the decisions could
become political rather than based on architectural or
historical merit, which the Board of the Commission would
determine.
Since we have lived here, the University of Pennsylvania
has done a great deal to improve the neighborhood, which is to
their advantage. When families come to look at the University,
they want to see what the neighborhood is like. The University
has helped by giving 100% mortgages and a stipend to assist in
beginning renovations. Making this an historic district would
also help, in that a lot of buildings which might simply be torn
down by developers would be renovated and made livable again. My
understanding is that the Mayor is also trying to improve the
older sections of the city.
I have become a member of the University City Historical
Society because I believe that we can assist in improving the
area and preserve what is here for future generations. This is a
benefit, not only to this area, but to the city as a whole. In
addition to being the first so-called "streetcar" area, one of
the important aspects of University City is that all sorts of
people have integrated into one area, something we like very
much, having moved in from Moylan-Rose Valley a number of years
ago to be part of such a community. It's not all one class or
one race.
We, in the United States, have lost a great deal of
historic buildings and areas over the past many years. As people
look back, they realize that many areas now torn down are in
retrospect considered historical properties. But they are gone
and cannot be recovered. We trust that Philadelphia will do what
it can to preserve what we have for future generations.
We need your support and hope that you will reconsider the
introduction of this bill. At a meeting in one of the local
churches this past year, where you spoke, you said that you had
not made up your mind and would listen to all sides. But by
introducing this bill, you seem to indicate otherwise. We hope
you will reconsider and give your support to the idea
of "Historic Preservation."
Sincerely,
John Hayden

8 November 2002
Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell City Hill, Room 408
Philadelphia, PA 19107-3290
I wish to add my voice to the pending discussion of the
ordinance regarding the historic districts in Philadelphia.
Spruce Hill is a community that has historic value and I support
the proposed district's application (15 years in the making) to
be a historic district.
Please rescind your ordinance in City Council to allow the
designation of historic districts out of the hands of politics
and to stay with the Historical Commission.
Name Dorothy J. Gillam
Street Address 210 St. Mark’s Square
Zip code 19104
e-Mail philadjg@aol.com

Dear City Council & Mayor Street:
I am writing to ask Councilwoman Blackwell to withdraw Bill No.
020462. This bill will not improve the way the Philadelphia
Historical Commission operates when it designates municipal
historic districts within Philadelphia. It will, instead, make
the process more undemocratic. The Commission is made up of
staff and voting members that bring professionalism and
expertise to the process, and who attempt to leave political
agendas behind. By making the City Council the voting body,
politics will be in the forefront. We are trying to preserve a
critical element of Philadelphia’s history and memory: its
architecture. If politics are injected into this process, we
will lose much of our heritage. These parts of history cannot
be regained.

Councilwoman Blackwell has stated that her concern is that there
is not enough opportunity for the community to express their
opinions and that changing the process to a vote by City Council
will improve the level of democratic process. This is not
true. The designation process already allows for a broad
spectrum of response to a proposed historic district. The
process is long, allowing for a solid education of homeowners
and residents, if they are interested in learning, about how the
Commission and a district works. All homeowners and property
owners within the proposed boundaries are notified about the
nomination and about multiple public meetings they can attend.
These meetings are expressly held for the affected neighbors and
property owners to learn about the district. And, these
meetings are held at different times and in different locations
to fit with the many different schedules of the community
members. The Historical Commission staff is also available by
phone, letter, and email to answer specific questions and to
receive feedback about the nomination.

The bill will not improve the situation. Please reconsider the
bill and table it or withdraw it.

Sincerely,
Kate F. Stover

Dear City Council & Mayor Street:
Please leave the resposibility of historic district designation
to the Historic Commisssion. I suspect if Council takes this on
most members of Council will only embarrass themselves and us, as
taxpayers and residents of Philadephia, with their bickering and
political in-fightin

November 8, 2002


Hon. Jannie L. Blackwell
Philadelphia City Council
Room 408 City Hall
Philadelphia, PA 19107 3290


Re: Bill 020462


Dear Councilwoman Blackwell:


Along with the rest of Philadelphia's preservation community,
the University City Historical Society was both stunned and
disappointed to hear about your recent introduction of Bill
020462, which would change the process for the designation of
local historic districts throughout the city. We hope that you
will reconsider, and instead support the Historical Commission's
current process for determining support or opposition for the
designation of a district.


For the past fifteen years, UCHS has been working toward local
designation for an area of our neighborhood which roughly
coincides with the boundaries of West Philadelphia's Spruce Hill
section. Many enthusiastic and supportive neighbors have
donated their time and over $20,000. to make this project
happen. Finally, after a long wait for consideration, we are
now next in line, after consideration of the proposed Old City
district, to have our proposed district reviewed by the
Philadelphia Historical Commission.


However, just recently, a very small but very vocal group of
individuals emerged in opposition to this designation. We do
not feel that these few outspoken people have a large following,
and we have found their accusations to be somewhat misleading.
We understand that Bill 020462 was written because of their
objections, and we would like the opportunity to set the record
straight.


First, our project is NOT, as they suggest, a "done deal!" The
Historical Commission's consideration of our district is still
months away. The official process, with its requirements for
notification and meetings in the Spruce Hill area, has not yet
begun. In advance of the official required meetings, however,
UCHS and the Spruce Hill Community Association offered some
preliminary meetings to heighten awareness of the process and
give neighbors the opportunity to ask questions and provide
feedback. Those opposing the project have inaccurately claimed
that the informational meetings held so far are the end, rather
than the beginning, of the process. The Historical Commission
will give notice and hold the official, required meetings once
they begin consideration of the Spruce Hill district, probably
some time late in 2003. At that time, they will gauge community
opinion and use that information in making their decision.


Further, to address the assertion that people weren't informed,
this project has never been a secret! Anyone who was not aware
of it was not making any attempt to follow local affairs in
University City for the past fifteen years. During that time
many neighborhood volunteers were involved in gathering
historical information about their blocks, and reports on this
project were provided in community newsletters and newspapers
many, many times. As we worked through our previous designation
project, the National Register West Philadelphia Streetcar
Suburb District, which includes the area we propose to designate
locally, we always provided updates on the status of the local
designation. In addition, recommendations for the proposed
district appeared in the 1995 Spruce Hill Community Renewal Plan
and the Philadelphia Planning Commission's 1996 Plan for West
Philadelphia. All interested parties have had the opportunity
for fifteen years to voice their opinions about this project.


From what we have heard, we believe that the current opposition
to Spruce Hill's designation is largely divided into two camps:
some appears to be based upon the unwillingness of a few
landlords to commit
themselves to taking care of their properties, while further
opposition seems to be based upon the gripes of a few local
individuals, because of other community issues completely
unrelated to historic designation. We don't feel that these
local complaints are good reasons to change the historic
preservation process for the entire City of Philadelphia.


We believe that this small group has misinformed the public
about both the status and the requirements of designation in an
attempt to gain more followers and stop the Spruce Hill
designation, no matter what process of law would be used. They
have frequently circulated misrepresentations likely to scare
the public - for example, by giving the impression that
designation would govern exterior paint colors, which it does
not; by suggesting that designation, rather than market demand,
would raise tenants' rents; and by suggesting that costly
repairs would be required, when actually the Historical
Commission does not govern routine maintenance, unless the
deterioration of a property is very severe - more likely in the
case of an abandoned property than an occupied one. We feel
that these claims have been disingenuous and harmful, and we are
saddened that this group would attempt to obstruct the historic
designation process across the entire city for their own
reasons.


Although this handful of opponents claims to speak for others in
the neighborhood, those others have not come forward to speak
for themselves. Unless we hear from additional opponents, we
cannot conclude that opposition to the designation of the Spruce
Hill local historic district is widespread, well-reasoned or
justly motivated. We would like to have the opportunity to hear
from others, and we know that we will if the law is not changed,
because under the current requirements for designation, all will
have the opportunity to have their voices heard when the
Historical Commission holds its meetings about the Spruce Hill
designation in 2003. We think that this is a consultation
process that you would appreciate, Councilwoman Blackwell, and
we hope that you will withdraw your bill and let it take place.


We hope that you will continue to consult with all in our
community, as has been your much-respected practice throughout
your tenure in City Council, and we hope that as you learn more
about the current designation process and the numbers who
support and oppose Spruce Hill's designation, you will withdraw
Bill 020462 and allow this process to move forward for Old City,
Spruce Hill and future districts in the same way that it has
taken place for the districts which have already been designated
in Philadelphia.


Sincerely,




Gregory Montanaro,
on behalf of the Board of Governors of
The University City Historical Society

Joanne Aitken, Sylvia Barkan, Mark Brack, Eleanor T. Cernansky,
Kathy Dowdell, Carol Dubie, Donald Gillis, Michael Hardy, John
Hayden, John Jewell, Joanne Kellerman, Melani Lamond, Nadine
Landis, Eli Massar, Arlene Matzkin, Jacqueline McCrea, Sharon
Ravitch, Theresa Sims, Stephen Wagner, Joan Wells, Tim Wood, D-L
Wormley

Dear City Council & Mayor Street:

I strongly urge you to vote "NO" on Bill
020462. This is
obviously a politically motivated effort to give developers
and landlords undue influence over historic designation throughout the city.
Philadelphia City Council should defer to the residents who are working to
obtain historic district designation, not to the landlords and developers who
see these districts as only another obsticle to their profits - often at the
neighborhoods expense. I am appaled that Councilwoman Blackwell, the
representitive for Spruce Hill, would sponsor a bill that would prevent them
from gaining the status they have worked so hard to obtain.

It would do
Council good to remember that these people are voters, and must be accounted to
at the ballot box; the developers and landlords that are squeezing appartments
into these formerly single family homes often do not live or vote in the
neighborhoods or even in the city.

Vote "NO" on Bill 020462

Dear City Council & Mayor Street:

I cannot begin to tell you how surprised and
disappointed I was to hear of the proposed changes to
Philadelphia's historic designation process. The system
has worked well for many years and this bill would
essentially politicize the process of historic
designation. Too often, I have seen Philadelphia's
powerful and influential sacrifice the long-term good of
the city for short-term or personal gain. Historic
preservation is absolutely key to reviving the city. We
have a wealth of historic buildings and neighborhoods
that other, younger cities can only dream of. If we
fail to acknowledge and preserve these irreplacable
resources, future generations will condemn us for our
lack of vision. Do we want to become like Scranton or
Camden? That spector across the Delaware River should
haunt us all.

Yours sincerely,

Mark L. Brack, Ph.D.

Dear City Council & Mayor Street:

I want the Historical Commission to remain at the table in a
hopefully much energized new effort at historical preservation
in Philadelphia. We in Philadelphia are missing the boat big-
time regarding our historical treasures and must make the
restoration of more historical landmarks a keystone in raising
the desirability of living in and visiting all parts of Phila,
not just Center City.

Here are two simple ideas worth pursuing:


Restore the former grandeur of Ridge Avenue as a historic
commercial district rather than letting hack developers stucco
over beautiful buildings such as the formerly wonderful
triangular building near Spring Garden that was ruined last
year.


Rally private money to turn the huge and beautiful Peco power
plant on the Delaware River (next to Penn Treaty Park) into a
world class art facility like the Tate Modern in London.

I believe that the Historical Commission could do much more
than it has done. Time is wasting, as is Philadelphia's
architectural and historical magnificence!

Supporting and passing Councilwoman Blackwell's bill would be a
disaster and would further weaken a critical commission that is
already entirely too unambitious.


Sincerely,


David Gleeson

Dear City Council & Mayor Street:
I strongly oppose Bill 020462, because it politicizes the
process of creating historic districts in Philadelphia. The
Historic Commission performs a vital function in our city, and
needs even more latitude in their efforts, not further
restrictions. Historic designations improve the city's economy
by raising the dollar investment in renovations and new
constructio. The historic renovation industry attracts skilled
craftspeople and new residents to Philadelphia, and our city is
more beautiful and thriving as a result.

Thank you,

Jesse J. Gardner
Designer & Builder

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