Twins at 4300-4306 Osage Avenue.

The city Historical Commission’s Committee on Historic Designation recommended on Wednesday adding the Second Empire style twins at the 43rd and Osage and the south side of the 3600 block of Lancaster Avenue, both eyed by developers, to the Register of Historic Places.

Proposals for both properties now move to the Historical Commission for final approval scheduled for Oct. 9. Placement on the Historic Register stipulates that the commission “must review all proposals that require a building permit and/or that would alter the appearance of the historic resource prior to the commencement of work,” according to the commission website.  Continue Reading

On Wednesday, Sept. 16, the Committee on Historic Designation of the city’s Historical Commission will review some West Philadelphia buildings for nominations – at 4300-02 Osage Ave/4304-06 Osage Ave and 3600-3630 Lancaster Avenue. Historic designation will help prevent demolition of the buildings and new development on the sites. The Advisory Committee meeting will be held in Room 578 in City Hall, starting at 9:30 a.m., and public support of the nominations is encouraged. Here’s more information on the buildings:

Satterlee Heights – 4300-02/4304-06 Osage Avenue

The three-story five-bedroom Victorian home at 4300-02 was purchased by Osage Realty Investment for $725,000 in May, 2015. The property has a large yard sloping down toward 43rd St. and that preservation advocates fear will become a building site if it is not saved by the city. The Committee on Historic Designation will consider for nomination this house and the adjoining twin at 4304-06 Osage Ave.

Lancaster Mews – 3600-30 Lancaster Avenue

Demolition of Lancaster Mews, a group of historic red-brick apartment buildings on the 3600 block of Lancaster Avenue, has already been proposed. As was reported in May, the owner, AP Construction, was preparing to sell the block-long row of buildings and was interviewing demolition contractors. A community meeting hosted by Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell was also held in May to discuss the future of the block. Residents and business owners who gathered at the meeting vowed to save the historic block from demolition (read more about the meeting here). The buildings at 3600-30 Lancaster Ave date back to 1870’s and also host neighborhood businesses.

Lancaster Mews (photo from Lancastermewsapts.com).

Neighbors and all interested parties are invited this evening to learn more about the proposed demolition of Lancaster Mews, the redbrick apartment buildings and storefronts on the 3600 block of Lancaster Avenue, and discuss the future development of the block. This is a great opportunity to share your concerns about the proposed development. The meeting is hosted by Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell and will take place starting at 6 p.m. at Community Education Center’s Meeting House Theatre (3500 Lancaster Ave).

In addition to apartments, Lancaster Mews also houses several businesses and a day care center. According to an article by The Philadelphia Inquirer published earlier this month, the block-long row of houses built in the late 1870’s may be demolished and replaced by apartment buildings aimed mostly at students.

Several noted public figures, including Cornell West and Chuck D., will be leading a rally and march to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the MOVE tragedy tomorrow.

On May 13, 1985, Philadelphia police under orders from city officials dropped a bomb on a home at 6221 Osage Ave. occupied by several members of the MOVE organization. Eleven people, including five children, died in the resulting fire and dozens of nearby homes were destroyed.

The rally starts at 11 a.m. at 62nd and Osage and organizers are asking participants to “walk, bike, jog or caravan” to 38th and Market where a speak-out will begin at 4 p.m. Activist Angela Davis and writer Alice Walker have prepared video messages that will be played. Speakers include West, Chuck D., hop hop artist Rebel Diaz, activist and attorney Alton Maddox and activists from the Black Lives Matter movement.

If you are unfamiliar with the MOVE or the events surrounding the bombing, here is an excellent documentary released in 2013 that pieces together news footage and interviews. Other background resources include a post on Philadelphia Magazine’s site today. Here is a look back from the Philadelphia Inquirer during the 25th anniversary.

St. Francis de Sales Church. (Photo from Wikipedia)

St. Francis de Sales Roman Catholic Church is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year and here’s a great opportunity to learn more about architecture and history of the church. An historical tour of the church at 47th and Springfield Ave. will take place on Thursday, May 7, starting at 6 p.m.

The tour will be followed by a talk and slide show by Bill Whitaker, Curator of the Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown collection at The Architectural Archives at the University of Pennsylvania. The talk is about the controversial renovations inside the church by Venturi that took place in the 1960s (the renovations were removed at the request of the parishioners soon after they were introduced).

The event is free and open to the public. And there will be refreshments afterwards.

Hamilton Mansion.

Great news for the historic Woodlands Cemetery and Mansion and all those who participated in their latest ambitious fundraising effort of raising $218,000 to restore the Hamilton Stable, the only remaining outbuilding from the 18th century.

“The Woodlands community contributed over $218,000 to restore the stable’s façade – which means you helped secure an extraordinary $612,000 challenge grant to restore the [Hamilton] Mansion from the William B. Dietrich Foundation,” reads a recent message by The Woodlands Executive Director Jessica Baumert. The McLean Contributionship, Connelly Foundation, and Wunsch Foundation also provided generous support of this project.

Photos courtesy of The Woodlands.

In a addition to the restoration of the Hamilton Mansion and Stable, the re-construction of the Cryptoporticus has resumed. The contractors have been numbering each brick before removing them from the sagging arch (pictured right). Then, the 18th century bricks will be put back in their original location using a mortar.

The Woodlands also announced some new and annual programs taking place this spring (the Woodlands is located at 40th and Woodland).

Sunday, April 12 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Your West Philadelphia House: How old is it? Who lived there?

Join The University City Historical Society at The Woodlands for a “how to” workshop, and learn to research the history of your own West Philadelphia house! Uncover your house’s story!Cost: Free to members of University City Historical Society or The Woodlands, $10 for non-members. Make your reservations here.  Continue Reading