Re: [UC] UCHS and Civic Center demolitions

[MLamond]

In a message dated 12/29/04 7:30:44 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

It's worth noting that, according to the November issue of the UCHS's
newsletter, their recently elected president, Mark Stuart, is an employee
of Penn, at their Veterinary School. Could that be a factor in their
apparent non-interest in Convention Hall and the Commercial Museum?

It's way, way more complicated than anything like that, and if you have heard just one version of how UCHS operates, you may understand the scope of the problems better if you hear another side as well.  Are you aware of the current project of UCHS, the Spruce Hill local Philadelphia Historic District nomination? You should be aware of this while you are faulting the society, though I'm sure there will be a rash of challenges to my interpretation.  We are all entitled to different opinions.  I'm speaking up only because I feel that you are attacking UCHS somewhat unfairly in this case. I am a member of the University City Historical Society, but I am in NO WAY speaking FOR the society.  However, I am a past president (4 years) and past longtime board member of UCHS, so I am aware of some of its own history.  For many years I organized house tours for the group, and I was on the committee which began the nomination of the Spruce Hill local Historic District back in 1987: 17 years ago. 

Shortly after my term as UCHS president, Spruce Hill and other areas of University City became a National Register Historic District.  (The West Philadelphia Streetcar Suburb Historic District.  Other parts of our area, such as Garden Court and Powelton Village, were already National Register Districts.)  The federal government's process concluded that these buildings and this neighborhood are worth recognizing and preserving.  However, in the past couple of years, one libertarian and frugal landlord, and a few others who are not happy about various local issues (some related to historic districts, and some not related), have mounted a very vocal campaign to derail the Philadelphia Historical Commission's processing of the nomination of Spruce Hill as a Philadelphia local historic district.  There may be others behind the scenes who are also interested in stopping the process.  At least one other landlord may opposes it, although one of UC's largest and most professional landlords, Alan Klein, has always favored it and was a member of the original  UCHS committee.  Although the nomination initiative has been underway since 1987, it has only now come up for its turn for processing by the City's Historical Commission.  Processing itself is a long procedure, including public meetings and notifications which have yet to begin.

The relatively recent opposition has led to Councilwoman Blackwell's current bill on hold in City Council, which would change the process by which designation is done in Philadelphia - under her proposed ordinance, although the Historical Commission would offer an opinion about an area's merit, City Council would make the decision to approve or reject an application for every proposed local historic district in the city of Philadelphia - not just Spruce Hill's - and any other historic designation as well.  They could also choose to un-designate a place that is already protected.  And as you may know, in City Council, members would defer to the Councilperson in the district where the place or thing is, so designation would be completely political and would depend entirely upon the relationship between the Councilperson, the person(s) proposing designation, and the place to be designated.  Merit would take a back seat to politics.

I think that Philadelphia is still (just barely) the fifth largest city in the country, and although we have fallen from power in so many ways, one thing we do have left is a very rich history.  We don't have manufacturing any more; we have lost many former corporate citizens, and our population keeps dropping.  The City's budget is harder and harder to balance.  We dare not lose much more if we are to remain viable.  One very important industry which remains in this city today is the tourist industry, and the tourists won't come if our history disappears, so Councilwoman Blackwell's bill which would politicize all Philadelphia preservation - all brought about by petty fighting in Spruce Hill - is alarming citywide, and even further, nationwide, to preservationists.  The possible ramifications are huge.

Mr. Farrell, UCHS has found itself in the center of this firestorm now.  Its nomination of Spruce Hill as a local historic district has led to all sorts of potential complications for every historic property in Philadelphia.  As you've been working to preserve Convention Hall, were you aware that ALL historic buildings in Philadelphia are a little less safe than they used to be, while Councilwoman Blackwell's bill hovers over us?  I am no longer a board member of UCHS, and I don't know if they have discussed your project.  But, do you really think they should take on additional causes at this point, and would they really be of any help to your effort?

Melani Lamond
P.S.  In the past, when I very briefly mentioned this bill of Councilwoman Blackwell's at a public meeting, I was immediately accused by some of her longtime supporters of being "disrespectful" towards her.  How is it disrespectful to merely announce proposed legislation?  I was told that she was very angry with me.  However, when I saw her afterwards, she was just as friendly to me as always.  This leads me to believe that those supporters exaggerated when they spoke to me, and leads me to wonder, further, if perhaps they have also exaggerated when they speak to her about the actual amount of opposition to the proposed local Spruce Hill Historic District.....