THE MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE PHILADELPHIA HISTORICAL COMMISSION 30 November 1998 18th Floor Conference Room, One Parkway, 1515 Arch Street Wayne S. Spilove, Chair Present Wayne S. Spilove, Chair Duane Dumb, Deputy Director, Chamber of Commerce Melissa Heller Batzner, Office of City Council President Warren Huff, Chief, Urban Design Group, City Planning Commission Joseph James, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Public Property David Perri, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Licenses and Inspections Robert Thomas Dennis Ward III Scott Wilds, Deputy Director for Housing, Office of Housing and Urban Development Caroline Wischmann Elizabeth C. Harvey, Historic Preservation Planner R. Scott Jacob, Executive Secretary Laura M. Spina, Historic Preservation Planner Richard Tyler, Historic Preservation Officer Mark Zecca, Esq., Deputy City Solicitor Hyman Myers, Acting Chair, Committee on Historic Designation Also Michael Sklaroff, Esq. George P. O'Connell, Esq., Barbin Lauffer, & O'Connell, CP John Sokoro, Esq., Duane, Morris & Heckscher, LLP Robert M. Skaler, architect Jeanette Toohey, Associate Curator, Delaware Art Museum Gail Winkler, President, PA-East Chapter of American Society of Interior Designers Patricia Wilson Aden, Vice President, Preservation Alliance Penny Balkin Bach, Executive Director, Fairmount Park Art Association Maevemon Varnum, Arts Defense League Tom Nichols Ann Saul Harriet Jaffe Kim Glunas Karen Schwartz Jane L. Istvan Janet Mason 1 Elaine Grottmann Stephen Salisbury James H. Steigerwald Bob Luckuer David Thomas Randal Cotton B. Edelstein Michael F. Eichert C.L. Compton L. Griffith Boch Rogel W. Moss Evy Simen Doreen Newston Diane Dalto Aliki Strakes Wayne Spilove, Chair, recognized the presence of quorum and called the Special Meeting of the Philadelphia Historical Commission to order at 2:10 P.M. At the start of the meeting, Mr. Skiaroff recused himself, did not sit at the table, and did not participate in the discussion or voting. REPORT of the Committee on Historic Designation, 20 November 1998, Hyman Myers, Acting Chair. Dream Garden, The Curtis Building Lobby, 170 South Independence Mall East Estate of John W. Merriam, Owner ARTISTS: Maxfield Parrish and Louis C. Tiffany DATE: 1916 Committee on Historic Designation Recommendation: Approval. This Special Meeting was called by the Chair pursuant to § 4.1 of the Rules and Regulations of the Commission and the Committee on Historic Designation's report on Dream Garden. The Historical Commission staff provided notice of the meeting of the Committee and the Special Meeting of the Commission as prescribed by the historic preservation ordinance at §14-2007(6) of the Philadelphia Code and the
Rules and Regulations of the Commission and the Committee on Historic Designation's report on Dream Garden. The Historical Commission staff provided notice of the meeting of the Committee and the Special Meeting of the Commission as prescribed by the historic preservation ordinance at §14-2007(6) of the Philadelphia Code and the Rules and Regulations at § 5.4. The Executrix of the Estate and its counsel, the owner of the Curtis Building, and the Maxfield Parrish Trust received this notice. The staff also distributed copies of the nomination form for Dream Garden to the members of the Commission, the owner and representatives of the owner in advance of this Special Meeting. Mr. Myers reported that the Committee on Historic Designation unanimously recommends entry of Dream Garden on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places as an object. The Committee consisted of Mr. Myers, Acting Chair; Janet Klein, Chair, 2 [HANDWRITTEN NOTES: Top right corner: curved bracket symbol "(" Page 2, bottom right corner: curved bracket symbol "("] Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission; Ernest Leonardo, Chief, Comprehensive Planning, Philadelphia City Planning Commission, and Sandra Tatman, Ph.D. The Commission staff introduced information and an expert witness, Jeanette Toohey, Associate Curator, Delaware Art Museum, to the Commission. The Commission discussed the Report of the Committee and the nomination and heard testimony. Representatives of the Estate of John W. Merriam, the owner of Dream Garden, George O'Connell, Fsq , and John Soroko, Fsq , testified against the designation, presented the evidence and argument they chose to offer, and introduced Robert Skaler, architect, as an expert witness; Mr. Skaler spoke in opposition to the designation. Various witnesses testified in support of the designation of Dream Garden. They included Patricia Wilson Aden of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia, Penny Balkin Bach of the Fairmount Park Art Association, Gail Winkler of the Pennsylvania East Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers, Maevernon Varnum of the Arts Defense League, and Tom Nichols, Ann Saul and Harriet Jaffe as private citizens. Mr. Ward made a motion to accept the Committee's recommendation. Mr. Perri seconded the motion. The motion was carried unanimously. The Special Meeting of the Commission adjourned at 2:15 P.M.. A complete record was made of these proceedings. Respectfully submitted, Richard Tyler Historic Preservation Officer 3 [This page appears to be blank or contains no visible printed/typed text] [HANDWRITTEN NOTES: Three curved parenthesis marks or "C" shapes in handwriting
unanimously. The Special Meeting of the Commission adjourned at 2:15 P.M.. A complete record was made of these proceedings. Respectfully submitted, Richard Tyler Historic Preservation Officer 3 [This page appears to be blank or contains no visible printed/typed text] [HANDWRITTEN NOTES: Three curved parenthesis marks or "C" shapes in handwriting appear on the page: - One in the upper right area - One in the middle right area - One in the lower right area]