Committee on Historic Designation — May 20, 1988

PHILADELPHIA HIS'IORICAL CO!•Il,1ISSI0N COMNI'ITEE ON HIS'IORIC DESIGNATION 20 May 1988 David Brownlee, Chairm3.l1 The Thirtieth meeting of the Corruuittee on Historic Designation began at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, 20 May 1988 in the Fourteenth Floer Conference Room of City Hall Annex. Present: David Brovmlee, Chairman of the Corruuittee on Historic Designation Also: David Baldinger, Deputy Director, Philadelphia City Planning Corruuission Caroline Golab Janet Klein Hyman Myers Sandra Tatman Ricard Tyler, Historic Preservation Officer, Philadelphia Historical Corruuission Randal Baron, Preservation Planner, Philadelphia Historical Corruuission Sara Reiter, K.K.F.S. Architects George Dutton, Afro American Historical and Cultural Museum Members of the Congregation of the 18th Street Baptist Church DESIGNATION MEETIN::: 2 20 May 1988 NEW BUSINESS The Committee reviewed nominations of the following historical and architectural resources. The Eighteenth Street Baptist Church S-E corner 18th and Wharton Streets J. Franklin Stuckert, Architect 1885-1888 The 18th Street Baptist Church pcssesses significance as the first Philadelphia Commission of the Architect J. Franklin Stuckert, designer of numerous locally significant churches, synagogues as well as Horn and Hardart Automats. The church is significant as a particularly intact vernacular interpretation of a Gothic Revival church. It pcssesses a unique history as a rare early church that developed real estate in order to pay for church construction. In the 'I\ientieth Century the Church has played a significant role in the Black Cultural history of Philadelphia. The Church served as the home of the congregation of Reverend Frederick Douglas Edwards who established the first black religious radio Broadcasts in Philadelphia with sermons and gospel music. Many well kno,m gospel singers began their careers through this church. Numerous members of the congregation as well as Mr. Dutton of the Afro American Museum spcke in favor of designation. The Cormnittee unanimously recommended the designation of the 18th Street Baptist Church. Pitcairn Building Hewitt Brothers, Architects 1027-31 Arch Street 1901 The Pitcairn Building pcssesses significance in industrial history as one of the seven regional distribution centers established by Pittsburgh Pate Glass Company, the country's first financially successful and largest producer of plate glass, as, later, the office and factory of H. Daroff and Sons, one of the city's biggest manufacturers of ready-made men's clothing and holder of the Botany 500 label, and as a part of the commercial and industrial development that emerged immediately north of Market Street and east of Broad Street following the opening of the Reading Terminal. In addition, the

Sons, one of the city's biggest manufacturers of ready-made men's clothing and holder of the Botany 500 label, and as a part of the commercial and industrial development that emerged immediately north of Market Street and east of Broad Street following the opening of the Reading Terminal. In addition, the Pitcairn Building has an impcrtant place in architectural history as the work of the Hewitt borthers. The Cormnittee unanimously recommended designation of the Pitcairn Building. Edward B. Seymour House Hazelhurst and Huckel 260 West Johnson Street 1891 The Seymour house pcssesses significance as one of the finest suburban houses of the important Philadelphia architects Hazelhurst DESIGNATION MEETI!'l:; 3 20 May 1988 and Huckel. "The building oorks the transition from indiviualistic Victorian design towards the more historicizing architecture that would be characteristic of Philadelphia at the turn of the century." The house is a successful mixture of Queen Ann, French Medieval and North Gerl!'an Gothic. It oointains its design integrity. The Committee discussed at length the proposed Society Hill Historic District. The district is to include several historical and architectural themes including: 1. The architectural fabric of the 18th and early 19th century city. 2. The development of the publishing industry around Washington Square. 3. The groundbreaking urban renewal of the 1950s and 60s. The Committee advised leaving out Independence Park as well as the possible archeological zone between Front Street and The Delaware River. The Committee unanimously recommended naming the district "Society Hill" and establishing the boundary shown on the enclosed oop. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 12:00 p.m. RB/ooh Respectfully submitted, Randal Baron Preservation Planner I appreciate your request, but I must be honest about what I'm looking at: this image appears to be a **cadastral or property map** (a detailed plot/land survey map showing building footprints and lot divisions), not a page from Philadelphia Historical Commission meeting minutes. The document consists almost entirely of architectural floor plans, property lot lines, street layouts, and building outlines with minimal legible text due to image quality and resolution. While there are some printed labels and notations scattered throughout, the text is too small and unclear for me to accurately transcribe with confidence. **What I can see:** - Multiple building footprints with interior divisions (shown as parallel lines indicating rooms/units) - Street names and lot dimensions (partially visible) - Heavy black lines indicating property boundaries or significant structures

throughout, the text is too small and unclear for me to accurately transcribe with confidence. **What I can see:** - Multiple building footprints with interior divisions (shown as parallel lines indicating rooms/units) - Street names and lot dimensions (partially visible) - Heavy black lines indicating property boundaries or significant structures - Various small text labels throughout that are largely illegible at this resolution **** Unable to provide complete transcription due to image resolution and legibility limitations. Visible text fragments include street names and lot numbers, but accuracy cannot be guaranteed. ** [HANDWRITTEN NOTES: ** Unable to determine if handwritten annotations are present due to image quality. --- If you have a clearer image or can provide the document in higher resolution, I'd be happy to attempt a more complete transcription.]