Proponents of historic designation for Spruce Hill have once again declined to send a representative to debate the issue in public forum.
The first time was at the public meeting held in March at the Penn Neuman Center, sponsored by the Neighbors Against McPenntrification (NAM); the UCHS and SHCA declined to participate, although Matt Wolfe stepped up to the plate at the last minute and presented his unofficial views of incentives for designation so at least they'd be heard.
The second time was when WHYY wanted to have a discussion of the topic on Radio Times, hosted by Marty Moss-Coane. The broadcast was canceled when UCHS, SHCA, and the people who get paid by the taxpayers of the City for working on the Philadelphia Historical Commission refused to take part.
Now, SHCA's point person on HD claims that she can't find anybody to participate in a discussion being taped by Drexel University TV (DUTV) -- for presentation via campus facilities and also on a channel provided by Urban Cableworks to the West Philadelphia community in general. That show will proceed anyway, reformatted to discuss the great opposition to historic designation in Spruce Hill and the reasons why people don't want it, with implications for the Powellton area in which Drexel is located. I would have preferred taking part in a discussion where both views could be aired, but certainly don't mind going at it alone.
Makes you wonder, doesn't it? Are all those preservation buffs so busy out preserving whatever it is they preserve in their spare time? Or is it that the proponents don't want to participate in an event unless they can stage it? Or, maybe ... well, no sense in guessing at other people's motivations.
Al Krigman
