We urge Councilmember Jamie Gauthier, the Philadelphia Historical Commission (PHC), and local leaders to reject the proposed Spruce Hill historic district, southeast quadrant. Instead, we urge leaders to support individual designation to achieve a balance between preservation and development.
This historic district will harm district residents, the neighborhood and the city:
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It will make home repairs more complicated, expensive and time-intensive
- PHC review can add months to a home renovation project, and the PHC can arbitrarily deny modifications to a property without any way for property owners to appeal
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It will raise rents and home prices by restricting the supply of new housing
- Preventing the construction of new homes will reduce affordability, accelerate gentrification in Spruce Hill, and reduce access for diverse families to the public Sadie Alexander - Penn Partnership public elementary school.
- It will burden small business owners and limit new retail businesses from modifying buildings to fit their business.
The Historic Register already protects many properties in Spruce Hill.
- Nearly 200 properties in the proposed historic district are already on the Historic Register.
- Continued individual designation can protect the most historically significant properties while allowing more residents to share in this amenity-rich neighborhood and lowering the cost of maintaining historic properties
We should not be discouraging more residents in this amenity-rich neighborhood &
Residents should not face added cost for repairing their homes
The boundaries of the proposed Historic District (Southeast Quadrant in Green)
Action
Sign this petition and share with your neighbors if you will join us in opposing a historic district for Spruce Hill
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E-mail the Historic Commission, Councilmember Jamie Gauthier, and Spruce Hill Community Association expressing your concerns over the Historic District
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Click here for a pre-filled e-mail that you can send in two seconds -- include your name & address.
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Attend the Zoom meetings and speak out! The Historical Commission and its advisory committees are holding remote meetings using Zoom. You can watch/listen and speak during the live meetings.
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June 26th at 9:30 am: Committee on Historic Designation
Zoom Link, Meeting Agenda, Calendar Event, Meeting Guidelines, FAQ for Historic Designation Meetings -
July 12th at 9am: Historical Commission Meeting,
Zoom Link, Meeting Agenda (TBD), Calendar Event, Meeting Guidelines
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