At its meeting on July 10, the Philadelphia Historical Commission did not consider any new nominations to the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places. However, it did review several requests by owners to modify historic buildings to adapt to their present-day uses.
Demolition and new addition proposal for 27 Druim Moir Lane. | Rendering: Designblendz
The Shingle Style mansion known as Brinkwood at 27 Druim Moir Lane in Chestnut Hill was designed in 1887 by George W. and William D. Hewitt and built for industrialist Henry H. Houston’s son, Samuel Frederic Houston. It was added to the local register in 1980 and is a contributing property to both the Druim Moir Historic District and the Chestnut Hill Historic District of the National Register of Historic Places. The Historical Commission denied owner and real estate developer Ori Fiebush’s request to demolish a portion of the roof and a small dormer and construct a new dormer addition on the third floor to expand the interior living space. They found it did not adhere to the Secretary of the Interior’s guidelines for historic rehabilitation, which state that alterations must not destroy character-defining historic materials. Although the proposed addition was to the building’s rear, it was noted that the Hewitts designed the house with multiple primary facades.
Elevator tower proposal for 4619-25 Longshore Avenue. | Rendering: Toner Architects
The owner of the former Tacony Club at 4619-25 Longshore Avenue proposed the addition of an elevator tower to repurpose the building for a Veterans Administration housing project. The plan would expand existing windows adjacent to the tower into doorways and widen a third-floor dormer to meet the tower. The Historical Commission felt the tower as planned would disrupt the building’s exterior, but noted they would approve a concept of an interior elevator, and would consider exterior shafts with alternative designs.
Signage proposal for 1319-25 Market Street. | Renderings: Philly Signarama
The Marriott Residence Inn across from City Hall at 1319-25 Market Street, the former Market Street National Bank, received both an approval and a denial for a request for new signage. The 24-story Art Deco building was designed in 1930 by the firm of Ritter & Shay, which had previously built the Packard Building at 15th and Chestnut Streets and the Drake Apartment Hotel at 1512 Spruce Street. The Historical Commission approved a sign with channel letters and LED lighting on a black metal curved band incorporated into the existing awning above the hotel’s main entrance on Juniper Street. The proposal also included three fabric banner signs at three locations on the building, two at the corner of Market and Juniper Streets, and one at the corner of Commerce and Juniper Streets. The signage would be 20 feet tall by three feet wide and connected to hardware installed into mortar joints. The Historical Commission denied them based on the large portion of the building’s facade that would be covered and potential damage to its terra cotta features.
ADA ramp, paved pedestrian paths, and storage pavilion proposals for the American Swedish Historical Museum. | Renderings: Studio Sustena
The American Swedish Historical Museum, which occupies the City-owned building at 3500 S. Broad Street, proposed constructing an outbuilding, ADA ramp, and paved pedestrian paths to improve accessibility. The 1926 building, constructed for that year’s Sesquicentennial celebration, was named a significant asset to the FDR Park Historic District in 2000. The plans were approved, with the caveat that the roof of the outbuilding, which will be used for storage of outdoor equipment, would have a hipped roof on all sides, rather than the proposed gable roof.
Continuances lightened the agenda for this meeting. Several nominations awaiting review by the Historical Commission’s Committee on Historic Designation have been continued to future meetings.
Proposal to remove the former Boyd Theater’s marquee and vestibule walls and install a storefront. | Renderings: Ambit Architecture
At Friday’s meeting, a one-month continuance was granted for the former Boyd Theater at 1910 Chestnut Street. The current owner seeks to remove the building’s marquee and vestibule walls and install a storefront. The 1928 Art Deco theater, designed by architects Hoffman & Henon, was the subject of three historic nominations, two hardship cases, and a Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling before its auditorium section was demolished and replaced by a tower in 2015.
The Wolstenholme Twin at 580 Pelham Road and 333 West Upsal Street and a stable on the property that was built in 1900. | Photos: Michael Bixler
The nomination of the twin properties at 580 Pelham Road and 333 West Upsal Street has been continued to the August Historical Commission meeting. Built in 1894 in the Flemish Renaissance Revival Style, they are known as the Wolstenholme Twin.
Two other continuances lack an assigned meeting date. Piers 38 and 40 South at 775 S. Christopher Columbus Boulevard were originally nominated in October 2021, and Jewelers’ Row Historic District was nominated eight years ago in December 2018.
