Editor’s Note: A version of this story was published in the Summer 2026 issue of Extant, a publication of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia.

Photo: Michael Bixler

Tulipwood

Location: 4024-34 Apalogen Road

Built: 1954

Tulipwood, a mid-century modern residence in East Falls, has been lost to time. A demolition permit issued in February cleared the way for the destruction of an architecturally and historically significant postwar residence.

Tulipwood, designed by Elizabeth Hirsh Fleisher as her personal home to share with her husband, landscape architect Horace Teller Fleisher, reflected both professional innovation and deeply personal vision. Fleisher, the first woman to become a registered architect in Philadelphia, was best known for large-scale commissions such as Parkway House. Her residential work was rare, making Tulipwood an especially significant and intimate example of her design legacy.

Photo: Michael Bixler

The nearly 3,000-square-foot home was a synthesis of architecture and craft. Fleisher enlisted master woodworker Wharton Esherick to create a sculptural, floor-to-ceiling wood installation that wrapped the living room fireplace in undulating walnut, poplar, and cherry. Additional custom elements included a metal cabinet by Paul Evans and a 10-foot credenza by Phillip Lloyd Powell, embedding the house within a broader network of mid-century artistic production.

Photo: Michael Bixler

Despite its significance, Tulipwood’s fate was sealed when the Philadelphia Historical Commission declined to designate the property in November 2025, even while acknowledging it met multiple criteria for protection. The owners, local restaurateurs Valerie Safran and Marcie Turney, claiming substantial prior investment in redevelopment plans, chose to destroy the historic home and fill the parcel with new construction. Tulipwood’s loss underscores the particular vulnerability of postwar architecture and works by under-recognized designers.