Please READ!!!!
-----Forwarded Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Mar 5, 2004 12:27 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: For Immediate Release
Councilwoman Jannie L. Blackwell
Response to Historic Preservation Bill Debate
Recently, the local news media has been biased in their interpretation of my intentions and goals for our City in the introduction of Bill # 040003. Based on these accounts, the general public believes that I strongly oppose historic preservation, when in fact the opposite is true.
Since taking office in 1992, I have worked diligently on an affordable housing and neighborhood preservation platform to make our City, and my district in particular, a desirable place to live, work and visit. In attempting to work with all of my community leaders over the past decade, we have made great strides in maintaining West Philadelphia's historical founding as a district of great residential neighborhoods with small retail corridors that compliments larger development in Center City.
To date, we have successfully restored or converted the following projects into a functional use while maintaining the original footprints and design as much as possible: the Walnut West Carnegie Library (40th & Market), the Oliver Wendell Holmes Senior Complex (55th & Chestnut Streets), the Brentwood I & II historic mansions along Parkside Avenue, the Philadelphia Zoological Society, The Cobbs Creek Environmental Center (63rd & Catharine), The Bernice Arms Senior Complex (60th & Baltimore), The Family Charter School (41st & Westminster), The Ruldolphy Home for the Blind (38th & Powelton) and The People's Emergency Center Rowan House (39th & Baring) to name a few.
While many of these projects began with an idea from the community, their success was based on the availability of state and federal financial incentives available to large scale development and an entrepreneurial spirit. This is not the case at the individual level. Recently in my Councilmanic District, a small minority was able to decide for more than 20,000 people that their neighborhood should be considered for historic designation. Many people were completely unaware about such an important decision concerning the future of their community. In addition, crucial considerations such as the impact on low-income residents or persons on fixed income were not discussed. Residents also could not get consistent answers to their questions such as: "What criteria does the Commission use to determine historical significance? Is a building built in 1970 by a particular architect given the same consideration at a building built in 1870?" Also, people were very concerned about the monopolistic control of the Historic Commission in not only telling people what type of materials to use, but where to purchase them, etc. For the average resident, this kind of process can be very intimidating.
It was thus my intent through introducing both Bill # 040003 and Bill # 020462 last term, that interested parties could assist in developing a more transparent and consistent decision making process around issues of historic preservation. With the increased opportunity for sustainable neighborhood development offered by the Mayor's Neighborhood Transformation Initiative (NTI), now is the time to rethink our policies and procedures to modify them to meet today's needs.
During the weeks of March 15th and March 22nd, 2004, I will be hosting four Community Task Force Meetings. If you would like to participate, please contact my office at (215) 686-3418/3419 or via email at [EMAIL PROTECTED] or via snail mail at City Hall Room 408, Philadelphia, PA 19107. We will also post the meeting dates in several local papers.
Alisa Orduna-Sneed
Director of Special Projects
Office of Councilwoman Jannie L. Blackwell
City Hall Room 408
Philadelphia, PA 19107
-----Forwarded Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Mar 5, 2004 12:27 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: For Immediate Release
Councilwoman Jannie L. Blackwell
Response to Historic Preservation Bill Debate
Recently, the local news media has been biased in their interpretation of my intentions and goals for our City in the introduction of Bill # 040003. Based on these accounts, the general public believes that I strongly oppose historic preservation, when in fact the opposite is true.
Since taking office in 1992, I have worked diligently on an affordable housing and neighborhood preservation platform to make our City, and my district in particular, a desirable place to live, work and visit. In attempting to work with all of my community leaders over the past decade, we have made great strides in maintaining West Philadelphia's historical founding as a district of great residential neighborhoods with small retail corridors that compliments larger development in Center City.
To date, we have successfully restored or converted the following projects into a functional use while maintaining the original footprints and design as much as possible: the Walnut West Carnegie Library (40th & Market), the Oliver Wendell Holmes Senior Complex (55th & Chestnut Streets), the Brentwood I & II historic mansions along Parkside Avenue, the Philadelphia Zoological Society, The Cobbs Creek Environmental Center (63rd & Catharine), The Bernice Arms Senior Complex (60th & Baltimore), The Family Charter School (41st & Westminster), The Ruldolphy Home for the Blind (38th & Powelton) and The People's Emergency Center Rowan House (39th & Baring) to name a few.
While many of these projects began with an idea from the community, their success was based on the availability of state and federal financial incentives available to large scale development and an entrepreneurial spirit. This is not the case at the individual level. Recently in my Councilmanic District, a small minority was able to decide for more than 20,000 people that their neighborhood should be considered for historic designation. Many people were completely unaware about such an important decision concerning the future of their community. In addition, crucial considerations such as the impact on low-income residents or persons on fixed income were not discussed. Residents also could not get consistent answers to their questions such as: "What criteria does the Commission use to determine historical significance? Is a building built in 1970 by a particular architect given the same consideration at a building built in 1870?" Also, people were very concerned about the monopolistic control of the Historic Commission in not only telling people what type of materials to use, but where to purchase them, etc. For the average resident, this kind of process can be very intimidating.
It was thus my intent through introducing both Bill # 040003 and Bill # 020462 last term, that interested parties could assist in developing a more transparent and consistent decision making process around issues of historic preservation. With the increased opportunity for sustainable neighborhood development offered by the Mayor's Neighborhood Transformation Initiative (NTI), now is the time to rethink our policies and procedures to modify them to meet today's needs.
During the weeks of March 15th and March 22nd, 2004, I will be hosting four Community Task Force Meetings. If you would like to participate, please contact my office at (215) 686-3418/3419 or via email at [EMAIL PROTECTED] or via snail mail at City Hall Room 408, Philadelphia, PA 19107. We will also post the meeting dates in several local papers.
Alisa Orduna-Sneed
Director of Special Projects
Office of Councilwoman Jannie L. Blackwell
City Hall Room 408
Philadelphia, PA 19107
---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see
