Historical Commission — Mar 2, 1978

MINUTES OF THE 223rd STATED MEETING OF THE PHILADELPHIA HISTORICAL COMMISSION 2 March 1978 F. Otto Haas, Chairman Present: F. Otto Haas, Chairman of the Commission Janet S. Klein, Vice Chairman of the Commission Mrs. James C. Crumlich, Jr. The Hon. John B. Kelly, Jr., Councilman-at-Large Edward Pinkowski Val Hogensen, Executive Assistant Director of Finance Herbert W. Levy, A.I.A., Architectural Advisor to the Commission Richard Tyler, Historian Patricia Siemicntowski, Executive Assistant to the Chairman Also Dr. Victor C. Rambo, a retired ophthalmologist, concerning Wills Eye Hospital, 1601 Spring Garden Street. Unless otherwise noted, all actions taken herein are the results of motions correctly made, seconded and carried. THE MINUTES of the Stated Meeting, 2 February 1978, were approved and directed to be filed. REPORTS The Report of the Architectural Committee, 15 February 1978, Herbert W. Levy, A.I.A., Chairman. The report was approved and directed to be filed with the official copy of the Minutes. Recommendations by the Staff for the Certification of Buildings, Richard Tyler, Historian. At the request of the owners, the Historical Commission voted to certify the following buildings: 3301 Powelton Avenue 3500 Powelton Avenue 3303 Powelton Avenue 3502 Powelton Avenue 3305 Powelton Avenue 3504 Powelton Avenue 3307 Powelton Avenue 3506 Powelton Avenue 3309 Powelton Avenue 3508 Powelton Avenue 3311 Powelton Avenue 3510 Powelton Avenue 3315 Powelton Avenue 3512 Powelton Avenue 3514 Powelton Avenue 3516 Powelton Avenue 3518-20 Powelton Avenue STATED MEETING 2 2 March 1978 REPORTS (Cont'd) Mr. Pinkowski suggested that photographs of the remainder of the row of the 3300 block of Powelton Avenue (3315 to 3331) be taken and the buildings evaluated for certification by the Commission. Report on Historical Commission Staff Activities, Richard Tyler, Historian. Mr. Tyler's report for the month of February was approved and directed to be filed with the official copy of the Minutes. OLD BUSINESS Wills Eye Hospital, 1601 Spring Garden Street. Dr. Victor C. Rambo, a retired ophthalmologist, attended the Historical Commission meeting and presented to the Commission members a history of the Wills Hospital. He reported on the hospital's conversion from an institution founded to serve the indigent to a doctors' hospital and stressed its importance to the history of medicine in Philadelphia. Dr. Rambo strongly urged the preservation and reuse of the Wills Hospital building at 1601 Spring Garden Street which will be vacated shortly when Wills moves to a new location at Ninth and Spruce Streets.

to a doctors' hospital and stressed its importance to the history of medicine in Philadelphia. Dr. Rambo strongly urged the preservation and reuse of the Wills Hospital building at 1601 Spring Garden Street which will be vacated shortly when Wills moves to a new location at Ninth and Spruce Streets. The Chairman explained to Dr. Rambo that the Spring Garden Street building had, indeed, been certified by the Historical Commission and that the building would receive the protection afforded it by that designation. He noted, however, that the powers of the Historical Commission are limited to a jurisdiction over alterations and demolitions and that the Commission could not require the continued use of the building as a hospital as suggested by Dr. Rambo. Dr. Rambo questioned the possibility of nominating Wills Hospital to the National Register of Historic Places. Mr. Tyler pointed out that application for inclusion in the federal register could be made but that to be entered into the register a building must be at least fifty years old. Wills Hospital is only forty-six years old. Dr. Rambo was thanked for presenting his concern to the Commission and assured that the Historical Commission would encourage the preser- vation and reuse of the Wills Hospital building. NEW BUSINESS John Wanamaker House, 2032 Walnut Street. Mr. Tyler reported to the Commission on his inspection of the Wanamaker house following a recent fire which all but gutted the interior of the house. Although the facade appeared to be stable, the remainder of the building was in danger of collapsing. The Historian informed the Commission members that he would ask Nick Giannopulus, a structural engineer to evaluate STATED MEETING 3 2 March 1978 NEW BUSINESS (Cont'd) the condition of the building with him and Herbert Levy and the building inspectors from the Department of Licenses and Inspections. Mr. Pinkowski will inspect the building as well. The Commission agreed that if it was the consensus of all those in attendance at this meeting that the building posed an imminent threat to the public, permission to demolish would be granted immediately upon the presentation of a demolition permit application. A Place in Time, National Trust for Historic Preservation film. Following the discussion of the above matters, the film, A Place in Time, was shown. The film documented the growth of the preser- vation movement in the United States and focused on its many facets

of a demolition permit application. A Place in Time, National Trust for Historic Preservation film. Following the discussion of the above matters, the film, A Place in Time, was shown. The film documented the growth of the preser- vation movement in the United States and focused on its many facets from the restoration of a single house to the revitalisation of neighborhoods and commercial districts. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4:45 P.M. Respectfully submitted, Patricia Sismontowski Executive Assistant to the Chairman /pas