Historical Commission — Jul 3, 1975

MINUTES OF THE 195th STATED MEETING OF THE PHILADELPHIA HISTORICAL COMMISSION 3 July 1975 F. Otto Haas, Chairman Present: F. Otto Haas, Chairman The Hon. John B. Kelly, Jr. Robert Silver, Commissioner, Department of Public Property Joseph Hickey, Deputy Director, Department of Finance Henry J. Magaziner, A.I.A., Architectural Advisor to the Commission David Rosenblum, Assistant City Solicitor Richard Tyler, Historian Patricia Siemiontowski, Executive Assistant to the Chairman Also: Michel Diviney, Project Manager, Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority. Theodore P. Barclay, Jr., A.I.A., Architect for Pennsylvania Hospital. Unless otherwise noted, all action taken herein is the result of motions correctly made, seconded and carried. THE MINUTES of the Stated Meeting, 1 May 1975, were approved and directed to be filed. REPORTS The Report of the Architectural Committee for 17 June 1975 was approved by the Commission and directed to be filed with the official copy of the Minutes. Nominations for the Certification of Buildings, Richard Tyler, Historian. The staff had no nominations to present to the Board at this time. COMMISSION ACTIVITIES, Report on, Richard Tyler, Historian. Dr. Tyler's report was approved and directed to be filed with the official copy of the Minutes. OLD BUSINESS Pennsylvania Hospital: Seventh and Spruce Street Houses, Richard Tyler, Historian. At the request of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, the Historical Commission made a courtesy review of two proposals for the development of the Seventh and Spruce Street site for use by the Pennsylvania Hospital; the Commission's legal jurisdiction over these buildings (700-14 Spruce Street) expired in June 1972. [HANDWRITTEN NOTES: Top left corner: "2" (page number, in handwriting)] MINUTES 2 3 July 1975 OLD BUSINESS(Cont'd) The Hospital's architect, Theodore T. Bartley, Jr., presented both proposals to the Commission without following the usual procedure of submitting to the Architectural Committee for a recommendation. This was permitted since Mr. Bartley is a member of said Committee and Mr. Pederaen has recently served as an architect to the Hospital. The first proposal calls for the demolition of the certified buildings situate at 700-14 Spruce Street and the construction of a four level spine building on a modular system. The alternate proposal allows for the retention of the main portion of the Spruce Street buildings and the construction of the new facility behind them. The hospital plans to offset the cost of preserving the Spruce Street structures by increasing the height of the new structure and the nearby parking garage. The

proposal allows for the retention of the main portion of the Spruce Street buildings and the construction of the new facility behind them. The hospital plans to offset the cost of preserving the Spruce Street structures by increasing the height of the new structure and the nearby parking garage. The two proposals have been reviewed by several groups. The Society Hill Civic Association has rejected both proposals and requested residential development of the site. The City Planning Commission, at this time, will not support any proposal such as the retention one, calling for a height increase in the new construction and the Redevelopment Authority has no preference in the matter. After some discussion, the Commission agreed to endorse the plan incorporating the Spruce Street buildings into the new construction and to ask the Planning Commission's support. Furthermore, it was noted that the parking garage will have no adverse impact on the surrounding historic buildings. NEW BUSINESS Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, Grant Applications, Richard Tyler, Historian. The Historical Commission, at the recommendation of Dr. Tyler, voted to endorse the approval of grant requests for two historically certified buildings -- the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the Edwin Forrest Mansion. Certain-teed Products Corporation, Richard Tyler, Historian. The Certain-teed Products Corporation has instituted a program of contributing new roofing for restoration in the Philadelphia area. Mr. Tyler reported to the Board the Corporation's donation of roofing material for renovation of three of the Port Mifflin buildings and Rittenhouse Village as well. The Commission agreed that this program was satisfactory to them and could be implemented but noted that the Commission should not involve itself in any kind of advertising of this product. MINUTES 3 3 July 1975 There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 4:45 P.M. Respectfully submitted, Patricia Sismickiowski Executive Assistant to the Chairman /pas