preservation & development - microsoft · preservation & development building a legacy:...
TRANSCRIPT
Preservation & Development Building a Legacy: Allowing the Present to Become the Cherished Past 2016 BIA Philadelphia Builders Conference Harris Steinberg, Lindy Institute for Urban Innovation, Drexel University ◯ 21 September 2016
Philadelphia is a big city that has been built and rebuilt continually over time.
West Shipyard
Remains of English shipyard (1676)
predating William Penn’s arrival (1682)
by 6 years. Ancient wooden boat slips
are buried beneath parking lot on
Delaware Avenue north of Ben Franklin
Bridge.
Wood Street Steps
Last remaining set of permanent steps
erected following judgement by
William Penn in response to Samuel
Carpenter’s request to develop
warehouse along the river (1684).
Penn allows warehouse but requires
public access to the Delaware
waterfront.
State House
The State House (Independence Hall)
has been added to and altered. The
main building was built between 1732
and 1751. The clock tower was added
in 1753. Current steeple added by
William Strickland in 1828. Wings and
hyphens demolished and rebuilt over
time.
Pennsylvania Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb
John Haviland designs Greek Revival
original building on Broad Street in
1824. William Strickland adds wings
in 1838. Frank Furness extends wings
in 1875.
Buildings purchased by Pennsylvania
Museum School of Industrial Arts
(now University of the Arts) in 1895.
1600 block of Locust
WIlson Eyre (1888) modifies the base
of a John Notman (ca. 1850) town
house across the street from St.
Mark’s Church on the 1600 block of
Locust Street.
PSFS
Headquarters building built by Quaker
architect, Addison Hutton on
Washington Square in 1869. Furness,
Evans & Co. expand it in 1898.
George Howe remodels interior in early
20th century. Incorporated into St.
James residential development and
converted to restaurant in 2004.
Franklin Court
Evocation of historic site with famed
“Ghost House” interpretation of
Franklin’s house. Completed 1976.
Venturi and Rauch, Architects.
Philadelphia has an inherent scale and character that has significant value. We know how to balance preservation and development well.
Society Hill
Landmark selective editing of historic
fabric and skillful insertion of modern
residential high rise towers and
townhomes in historic context.
I. M. Pei, completed 1964
Thin Flats
Contemporary take on row house by
Onion Flats in Northern Liberties.
Ten Rittenhouse
Preservation of facade of the
venerable Rittenhouse Club as part of
Ten Rittenhouse residential tower.
Schuylkill Yards
SHoP Architects design new facade
for former Bulletin Building as center
piece for new neighborhood by
Brandywine Realty Trust on long-term
land lease from Drexel University.
Existing parking lot becomes new
Drexel Square.
And yet, too often the battle lines have been drawn again and again.
Philadelphia Life Insurance Company
Mitchell/Giurgola 1962
Demolished for Convention Center
expansion 2008.
Boyd Theatre
Hoffman-Henon 1928.
Demolished 2015.
Controversial case from 1987 to
present. Temporarily voided
Philadelphia’s Preservation Ordinance.
Jewelers Row
Proposed Toll Brothers project 2016.
What if things were different?
Best Practices
Modest proposition
We’ve done it before
If We Fix It, BIA, 2004
Resulting in new Philadelphia Zoning
Code in 2012 - 50 years after last
major rewrite in Ed Bacon-era.
A City-wide Preservation Plan
“We shape our buildings and afterwards our buildings shape us.”
- Winston Churchill, December 1943. On the rebuilding of the Houses of Commons following 1941 bombing raid.
Preservation & Development Building a Legacy: Allowing the Present to Become the Cherished Past 2016 BIA Philadelphia Builders Conference