Historical Commission — Apr 2, 1981

MINUTES OF THE 253rd STATED MEETING OF THE PHILADELPHIA HISTORICAL COMMISSION 2 April 1981 F. Otto Haas, Chairman Present: Janet S. Klein, Vice Chairman of the Commission Edward Pinkowski Joseph W. Brown, Commissioner, Department of Public Property Val C. Mogensen, Executive Assistant Director of Finance Theodore T. Bartley, Jr., A.I.A., Member of the Architectural Committee Frank Thomas, Esq., Assistant City Solicitor, Law Department Richard Tyler, Historian Patricia Siemiontkowski, Architectural Historian Jefferson M. Moak, Research Historian Also: Carl Zucker, Esq., and his associate to represent Daniel Green, President of the First Federal Savings and Loan Association regarding the Comly-Rich House. Richard Stewart to appeal the recommendation of the Architectural Committee concerning his request for a plaque for 530 Delancey Street. Unless otherwise noted, all actions taken herein are the results of motions correctly made, seconded and carried. The Minutes of the Stated Meeting of the Philadelphia Historical Commission held on 5 February 1981 were approved and directed to be filed. The Report of the Architectural Committee for 18 February 1981, Herbert W. Levy, A.I.A., Chairman, was reviewed by the Commission and approved. It should be noted that Mr. Bartley abstained from voting on the matter concerning demolition of the OFD, Elm and Ayer Buildings at Pennsylvania Hospital. The Report of the Architectural Committee for 18 March 1981, Herbert W. Levy, A.I.A., Chairman, was reviewed by the Commission. Several items included in the report were considered individually and action taken upon them separately. Mr. Tyler introduced the question of the relocation of the Comly Rich House from Frankford to Old City to the Commission. He reported meeting with Carl Zucker, Esq., attorney for Daniel Green, President of the First Federal Savings and Loan Association and Frank Thomas, Esq., Assistant City Solicitor, to establish the facts of this matter and to consider the draft of a request STATED MEETING 2 2 April 1981 for a legal opinion on it from the City Solicitor as recommended by the Architectural Committee on 18 March 1981. Following these remarks, Mr. Thomas noted several ambiguities in the permit application for the removal of the House. He suggested that the Commission's staff ascertain from the Department of Licenses and Inspections whether the relocation of a house requires a demolition permit, a building permit or some other category of permit before acting on the present issue. Mr. Tyler urged this course and stated that at the Commission meeting of

that the Commission's staff ascertain from the Department of Licenses and Inspections whether the relocation of a house requires a demolition permit, a building permit or some other category of permit before acting on the present issue. Mr. Tyler urged this course and stated that at the Commission meeting of 7 May 1981 the staff would recommend a delay of five months should a demolition permit be required. Mr. Zucker explained to the Commission that Mr. Green and his architect, Jack Thalheimer, believed that their notification to the Commission, its Architectural Committee and staff of their intention to place the Comly Rich House at 232 and 234 Arch Street when they submitted demolition permit applications for these two Old City buildings in June 1980 made further review by the Commission unnecessary. Mr. Tyler replied that the Commission had received only the application for the demolition of 232 and 234 Arch Street and that the action taken by the Commission at its meeting of 7 August 1980 was limited to that issue alone. Following considerable discussion, the Commission agreed to refer the question of the permit category for the Comly Rich House to the Department of Licenses and Inspections and to address this question in May within the context of that Department's response. The Commission also discussed the proposed demolition of 524 South 11th Street and the Architectural Committee's recommendation to allow demolition of the building subject to an approval of the proposed new construction for the site. Following some discussion of the Commission's jurisdiction over new construction, the members voted to allow demolition of the building without restriction and directed the staff to remove the building from the Commission's Register of Certified Structures. The Commission gave special consideration, as well, to the Architectural Committee's recommendation that 530 Delancey Street not be awarded a Certified Restored Plaque. Mr. Richard Stewart, Applicant, appeared before the Commission to appeal the Committee's recommendation and to ask that the Commission award his house a plaque. While a site inspection of the building showed the massing and overall form of the cornice and STATED MEETING 3 2 April 1981 frontispiece to be acceptable, the detailing of the mouldings was not precisely correct. The Commission, after some discussion, voted to send the matter back to the Architectural Committee for further consideration. All other recommendations of the Architectural Committee included in the 18 March 1981 report were approved

2 April 1981 frontispiece to be acceptable, the detailing of the mouldings was not precisely correct. The Commission, after some discussion, voted to send the matter back to the Architectural Committee for further consideration. All other recommendations of the Architectural Committee included in the 18 March 1981 report were approved as recorded and the report directed to be filed with the official copy of the Minutes. The Reports on Philadelphia Historical Commission Staff Activities for February and March, Richard Tyler, Historian. Both reports were reviewed by the Commission and approved. These were directed to be filed with the official copy of the Minutes. The Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee on Certification for 3 March 1981, Edward Pinkowski, Chairman. Owing to the lateness of the day and the length of the report, the Historian recommended that the report for 3 March 1981 be tabled until next month. The Commission members agreed. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4:40 P.M. Respectfully submitted, Patricia Siemiontkowski Architectural Historian