Proposed Historic District designation area in Spruce Hill (image courtesy of SHCA).

The Philadelphia Historical Commission, the City’s preservation agency, is calling for public meetings to consider the proposal to designate a part of the Spruce Hill neighborhood as a historic district. The agency will hold two public meetings, on Wednesday, April 17 and Friday, May 10, when property owners and other interested parties are invited to comment on the proposed district. Both meetings will be on Zoom.

The proposed historic district consists of 572 properties and the boundaries are shown on the map above. The map also shows parts of Spruce Hill already designated as Historic Districts and properties included in the Registrar of Historic Places.

Continue Reading

Community members are invited to a monthly Spruce Hill Community Association (SHCA) Board meeting this Tuesday, Feb. 13. There will be two main guest speakers at the meeting:

Representatives from St. Joseph’s University, which acquired the former USciences campus in 2022, will discuss their development plans in the area.

Also, representatives from Constant Springs Consulting will provide updates about the Historical District application process. Since last year, SHCA have been working on this application and even started a community fundraiser. If Spruce Hill is recognized by the City as a historic district it would provide an added layer of protection of historic structures amid a building boom in the area. Designation could also regulate exterior changes to existing buildings like masonry and window replacement.

The meeting, which begins at 7:30 p.m. will be in person for SHCA Board members and guest speakers. Community members are invited to attend the meeting virtually via Zoom. Click here to download the meeting agenda which includes a Zoom link.

A pedestrian plaza at 48th and Baltimore.

Spruce Hill residents have a chance to learn more about a new traffic calming and pedestrian safety proposal for the busy intersection at 43rd and Spruce Streets.

On Tuesday, Jan. 9, Nate Hommel, the director of Planning and Design at the University City District (UCD) will present a plan for a pedestrian plaza at 43rd and Spruce at the monthly Spruce Hill Community Association Board (SHCA) meeting.

Pedestrian plazas are permitted by the City of Philadelphia through its Streets Department. Pedestrian plaza hosts receive a one-year Pedestrian Enhancement Permit that is renewable for up to three years. To receive a Pedestrian Enhancement Permit, an application must be submitted and approved by the Street Department. Pedestrian plaza locations are subject to review by the City’s Chief Traffic Engineer.

Continue Reading

Get your spooky/funny/cute costumes ready for the annual Spruce Hill “Tot” Halloween Parade! The great neighborhood tradition returns Tuesday, Oct. 31.

Gathering begins at 4 p.m. at 45th and Larchwood, and the parade kicks off at 4:30. The parade ends at 42nd and Osage where party-goers are invited to get treats, like cider and baked goods, from “Little Osage” neighbors and local businesses.

Every year, hundreds of costumed tots (ages 6 and under) and their parents or guardians participate in the parade organized by the Spruce Hill Community Association. This is a fun and family-friendly event for the local community with plenty of trick-or-treating possibilities in the neighborhood!

For more October events, check out this post.

The area that will be covered by the “Spruce Hill Historic District.”

UPDATE: The meeting was postponed from June 7 to June 27 due to the smoke pollution in Philadelphia caused by the Canadian wildfires. 

Community members are invited to learn more about the Spruce Hill Community Association (SHCA) proposal to make a large part of its neighborhood, from roughly Ludlow Street in the north to Woodland Avenue in the south and 46th Street in the west to 40th in the east, a historic district recognized by the city. A panel discussion and Q and A will take place on Tuesday, June 27 starting at 7 p.m. at Resurrection Church (42nd and Pine).

The “Spruce Hill Historic District” would provide an added layer of protection of historic structures amid a building boom in the area. Designation could also regulate exterior changes to existing buildings like masonry and window replacement.

Continue Reading

Spruce Hill map / SHCA website.

Spruce Hill residents can have some input in what types of businesses may operate in the neighborhood in the near future. The Safe Streets and Commercial Corridors Committee of the Spruce Hill Community Association’s (SHCA) Board is seeking community input (those who live or/and work there) on preferred retail options in the neighborhood through an online Retail Preference Survey that can be accessed via this link.

The overall goal is to not only attract more businesses to invest in the neighborhood, which is located between 38th and 46th streets and between Market and Woodland, but to attract the type of businesses that the community wants in the neighborhood. SHCA is seeking to get as much data as possible from all segments of the community, so please share this survey with your friends and neighbors.

For more information about SHCA, visit their website.