FORWARDED AS A FAVOR TO LIST BY NEIL LIFSON. PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND TO NEIL LIFSON. INSTEAD, RESPOND TO UCHS OR SHCA.
****************** UCHS and SHCA Announce Historic District Q&A Venues By Patricia Gillespie, President, University City Historical Society and Jon Mourar, President, Spruce Hill Community Association The University City Historical Society (UCHS) and the Spruce Hill Community Association (SHCA) are co-sponsoring a variety of opportunities for residents in the University City community, and in particular, in the Spruce Hill neighborhood. The organizations are sponsoring ways for residents to explore and understand what a Philadelphia Historic District is, and what this designation means for property owners, residents and businesses in the Spruce Hill area. Over the next few months UCHS and SHCA board members and volunteers are organizing and staffing neighborhood-based block meetings hosted by residents in their own homes. At these meetings, residents living in the proposed district will be able to engage in constructive dialogue with their neighbors and to get accurate answers to questions about historic district designation. The first of these meetings has been scheduled to begin in early April and will continue as needed. In addition, the Spruce Hill Historic District web site, (http://sprucehill.uchs.net), has been created to provide in-depth information about the significance of the Spruce Hill Historic District, the legal process of local historic designation, and answers to commonly asked questions about what the designation means to property owners. Articles will also be appearing in organizational newsletters and neighborhood newspapers. Together, UCHS and SHCA are working hard to ensure the accuracy of information about historic district designation that is flowing from these two organizations. To do this, all questions and comments about the meaning of this designation for Spruce Hill residents are being collected and all answers and "facts" are being checked for accuracy with the Philadelphia Historical Commission. This collection of commonly asked questions and answers (FAQs), finalized just this week in a response from the Historical Commission, is posted on the web site mentioned above and will appear in other media. In addition, the Philadelphia Historical Commission will be hosting several public meetings for the Spruce Hill neighborhood beginning as early as next month. The UCHS and the SHCA are committed to protecting and maintaining the fabric and elements that define the special architecture and historical characteristics of the Spruce Hill area, a unique Philadelphia streetcar suburb. With this purpose, UCHS and SHCA have teamed up to seize this rare opportunity--to have a portion of the Spruce Hill neighborhood on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places. This "Spruce Hill Historic District," first nominated 15 years ago, is a distinctive area of Philadelphia that possesses a significant collection of buildings and structures. The boundaries of the district were determined by the Philadelphia Historical Commission. Under the City's Historic Preservation Ordinance, Section 14-2007 of the Philadelphia Code, this listing will recognize and protect the special architectural and historic character of the Spruce Hill collection. UCHS and SHCA believe that this designation will protect properties from further deterioration, such as the removal of architectural details that contribute to the special character of the area, and the slow demolition of buildings due to the neglect of absent property owners. This designation will provide direct benefits to property owners and residents by encouraging responsible building maintenance and by adding a legal way to protect architectural features that attract residents and businesses to the Spruce Hill Community. The designation complements the Mayor's "anti-blight" efforts (Neighborhood Transformation Initiative) by protecting properties before they disintegrate. UCHS will remain committed to providing owners with practical information and resources regarding maintenance and repair options, including lists of qualified craftspeople and appropriate materials, such as the series of PRIMER workshops offered in collaboration with the University City District. With this new district nomination process we will expand our commitment to education and community stewardship of our architectural heritage and address the need of homeowners, including those of limited means, to continue to enjoy the benefits of our special neighborhood's character. For more information about historic district designation, contact the Philadelphia Historical Commission at 215-683-4590. Again, the Spruce Hill Historic District web site is: http://sprucehill.uchs.net. ---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see <http://www.purple.com/list.html>.
