This is rich. From and article in today's DP regarding the South
Street Bridge reconstruction.
http://media.www.dailypennsylvanian.com/media/storage/paper882/news/2008/04/01/News/Bridging.The.South.Street.Gap-3294621.shtml?reffeature=htmlemailedition
"The elected officials are there to [respond to community concerns],
you don't want a private institution influencing a public decision,"
Deitch said. The University always seeks community input on Penn
projects, she added, but "this thing is public all the way."
Campbell argues, though, that in a fight against the city, "Penn is
the 800-pound gorilla" across the river.
Staying neutral
University spokesman Tony Sorrentino said Penn will not take a side in
the current debate, to the dismay of Campbell and the other groups.
"We don't want to use our authority to affect someone else's project,"
said University architect David Hollenberg.
He added, however, that the Streets Department did consult him and his
predecessor, Charles Newman - who declined to be interviewed for this
article - about the design several times during the planning process.
Penn even lobbied successfully for some changes during meetings with
the Streets Department, according to Hollenberg. One such change was a
redesign of the guard rails on the sides of the bridge.
Following these changes, Hollenberg wrote an April 2007 letter to the
Art Commission of the City of Philadelphia expressing approval.
"The Art Commission has no further objections [to the design], and nor
do we," Hollenberg wrote.
Unless the city asks again for Penn's opinion, the University will not
insert itself into the conversation.
