Historical Commission — Jan 3, 1985

MINUTES OF THE 286th STATED MEETING OF THE PHILADELPHIA HISTORICAL COMMISSION 3 January 1985 F. Otto Haas, Chairman Present: F. Otto Haas, Chairman Janet S. Klein, Vice Chairman Allen J. Beckman William D. Thompson Deputy Commissioner Paul Deegan, Department of Public Property Commissioner Warren Eisenberg, Procurement Department Herbert W. Levy, A.I.A., Architectural Advisor to the Commission Kenneth Cooper, Esq., Deputy City Solicitor, Law Department Richard Tyler, Historian Patricia Siemlontkowski, Architectural Historian Randal Baron, Executive Secretary Also: Elizabeth Mintz, Historical Consultant MaryLou MacFarland, Executive Director, Philadelphia Preservation Coalition. Unless otherwise noted, all actions taken herein are the results of motions correctly made, seconded and carried. THE MINUTES of the Extraordinary Meeting of the Philadelphia Historical Commission held on 29 November 1984 were reviewed and approved. THE REPORT of the Architectural Committee for 19 December 1984, Herbert W. Levy, A.I.A., Chairman, Architectural Advisor to the Commission. The Report of the Architectural Committee for 19 December 1984 was reviewed, approved and directed to be filed with the official copy of the Minutes. THE REPORT of the Committee on Certification for 18 December 1984, Edward Pinkowski, Chairman. As recommended by the Committee on Certification, the Historical Commission reviewed and approved, individually, for certification each of the following buildings: 3700-3706 Chestnut Street: Tabernacle Presbyterian Church 1610 Chestnut Street: Jackson and Moyer Store 1700 Chestnut Street: Bonwit Teller & Company 6260 City Line Avenue: Overbrook Train Station 4278-4280 Griscom Street: John Ruan House 3001 Schoolhouse Lane: Edward Steel Estate, Woodside 1114 Walnut Street: Forrest Theater 1025-1027 Westview Street: Belvedere 22 South 23rd Street: Armory of the 1st Troop, Philadelphia City Cavalry. STATED MEETING 2 3 January 1985 The Commission next considered the Townhouse Apartment nomination. The Committee on Certification did not recommend in favor of certifying the Townhouse Apartments at 301 South 19th Street. It was the opinion of the Committee members that the building lacked sufficient architectural quality to merit certification as an individual land- mark building. The Committee tabled the certification and agreed to consider the building at a later meeting when it might be in- cluded as a contributing structure within a Rittenhouse Square Historic District. Elizabeth Mint, Historical Consultant, appeared before the Historical Commission to request the Commission's favorable consideration of her application for certification of the Townhouse Apartments. She reported the owner's desire to have his building recognized as historic and placed on the Historical Commission's list of certified buildings. Ms.

Square Historic District. Elizabeth Mint, Historical Consultant, appeared before the Historical Commission to request the Commission's favorable consideration of her application for certification of the Townhouse Apartments. She reported the owner's desire to have his building recognized as historic and placed on the Historical Commission's list of certified buildings. Ms. Mintz testified to the historical, architectural and engineering significance of the structure and its place in the development of the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood. In particular, she stressed the importance of the building in the area of architectural and engineering design. The Ballinger Company, known more for its commercial and industrial buildings, used "state of the art" technology in the construction of this rare residential commission. Following some further discussion of the building and its significance, the Commission asked Ms. Mintz to document the peculiar engineering and technological features of the building and to submit an addendum to the original certification nomination form. Upon receipt of this additional data, the full nomination and addendum will be circulated among the members of the Committee and a telephone poll of the Committee members' votes will be taken. Once the consensus of the Committee,concerning the building's eligibility for certifi- cation, is ascertained, the matter will again be brought before the Historical Commission for consideration. THE REPORT on Philadelphia Historical Commission Staff Activities for October-December, 1984, Richard Tyler, Historian. The Historian's Report for October-December 1984 was reviewed, approved and directed to be filed with the official copy of the Minutes. OLD BUSINESS Bill No. 318 - Preservation Ordinance. On 31 December 1984 Mayor Goode signed Bill 318 establishing a new and expanded Philadelphia Historical Commission. Bill 318 received City Council approval on 13 December 1984. STATED MEETING 3 3 January 1985 The Commission members discussed briefly the possibility of an amendment to the maintenance clause of the ordinance in order to enhance the value of façade easements, the complication of a list of possible appointees to the Historical Commission, the need to address the issue of formation of committees and other related matters. The Commission members asked that the Historian write to Mayor Goode and urge that he appoint the members of the Historical Commission as soon as possible. Mr. Tyler agreed to undertake this task. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4:30 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Patricia Siemlontkowski Architectural Historian