November/December 2016 The Newsletter of The Society Hill Civic Association SOCIETY HILL Reporter www.societyhillcivic.org Master Plan Kick-Off he Society Hill Civic Association (SHCA) Neighborhood Association, a far larger and T invites all neighbors to the General possibly more complex area. Membership Meeting on November 16, All stakeholders in our neighborhood must which will feature a kickoff meeting with the be identified first, so that each group can have Philadelphia-based urban planning firm, KSK. a voice in the planning. Some stakeholders our SHCA selected KSK to create this master plan for committee has identified are: residents of town Society Hill, which will evaluate our neighborhoo d homes, condominiums and apartments; religious from the Delaware River to 8th Street and from institutions and schools; and non-profits such Walnut to Lombard Streets. This evaluation will Pennsylvania Hospital, the Physick and Powell Best wishes for a consider appropriate zoning and future develop - Houses and the Athenaeum. In addition, we joyous holiday ment, as well as suggested improvements and value the input from business owners, as well season and a maintenance plans for all buildings, parks and as Independence National Historic Park, which healthy, happy open space. Community input is vital to the owns Washington Square and the Magnolia New Year! success of this plan. and Rose Garden parks. We welcome, also, the participation of owners and stakeholders The Steering Committee interviewed three firms of open spaces and memorials such as Harbor highly qualified to do the Master Plan before Park, the Vietnam War Memorial, Foglietta unanimously selecting KSK, a firm headed up Plaza, Three Bears Park and Head House Square. by architect and planner John Gibbons. KSK has teamed up with Urban Partners, a consulting We are very excited to introduce the team to firm headed by preservationist/architect/planner you on Wednesday, November 16 at 7:30 p.m. John Gallery and economic consultant James at Pennsylvania Hospital’s Zubrow Auditorium, Hartling, as well as Viridian Landscape Studio, located on the first floor inside the main entrance landscape design consultants headed by Tavis at 8th Street near Spruce. Please come with your Dockwiller. KSK and Urban Partners produced neighbors and any questions you may have about a very successful plan for the Logan Square the Master Plan timeline or process. WEDNESDAY MARK YOUR CALENDAR DECK THE DOORS November Society Hill Civic Association Meetings Wednesday, November 16, 2016 16 Pennsylvania Hospital 8th and Spruce Streets 5:45 p.m. Board of Directors Meeting Pennsylvania Great Court Conference Room All SHCA members are welcome. 7:30 p.m. General Membership Meeting Pennsylvania Hospital Zubrow Auditorium All neighborhood residents are invited to attend. Topic: A Master Plan for Society Hill Speaker: KSK, Philadelphia-based urban planning firm Also: Hall Mercer, Pennsylvania Hospital Mental Health Center Bonnie Halda photo PAGE 2 SOCIETY HILL Reporter NUSA Place SOCIETY HILL 1st ng Winni ard- Aw etter Newsl LookingLooking forfor a 2016 schoolschool forfor your Reporter Editor-in-Chief Press Release Liaison lilestlilest one?one? Sandra Rothman c/o Matt DeJulio Columnists [email protected] Marilyn Appel Advertising Manager Claire Batten Lenore Hardy The BZBI Preschool Jane Biberman [email protected] and Playschool Al Cavalari Submission Deadlines are accepting Matt DeJulio applications for the Martha Levine Jan/Feb Issue 2017 school year. Sandra Rothman December 1 To book a tour, Keri White Society Hill Civic call us today at Contributors Association 215-735-5142215-735-5142 or email Bonnie Halda P. O. Box 63503 [email protected] Lisa Kelly Philadelphia, PA 19147 Laurel Landau Tel. 215-629-1288 Katy Wich Website Graphic Design Find past issues in color [email protected] at www.societyhillcivic.org. Submissions If you have news that would be of interest to Society 300 South 18th Street Hillers, email Sandra Rothman at [email protected]. Philadelphia, PA 19103 Materials must be submitted in writing and include the 2215-735-514815-735-5148 | bzbi.org name of a contact person. Edited submissions will be considered for publication if space permits. Letters to the Editor must be signed, with contact information. SHCA Mission Statement The aims and purposes of SHCA are to promote the improvement of the Society Hill area of Philadelphia, including its cultural, educational and civic activities, parallel and the preservation and restoration of its historic buildings; to represent the residents of Society Hill in matters affecting the City of Philadel p hia generally and Society Hill in particular; and to interpret the design value and significance of Society Hill to the public. Find our SHCA Board Officers and Directors designs President SE Quadrant online. Rosanne Loesch Woody Rosenbach, Barbara First Vice President Gelman, Gail Hauptfuhrer Martha Levine SW Quadrant BeyondTheLibertyBell.org Second Vice President Alison T. Young, Carolyn Parallel-Design.com Kim Williams Ambler Walter, Martha Moore Treasurer Continuing Director Madeline Miller Bob Curley 215-476-4040 Secretary Representatives Diane Stein St. James Court Directors at Large Norm Wisler Logos Georgine Atacan, Jeff Berry, Penn’s Landing Square Amy DeMarco, George Dowdall, Loretta Burton Websites Shelly Hirsh, Dan Horowitz, Independence Place Banners Newsletters Mary Purcell, Lisa Unger Jerry Yablin NE Quadrant Hopkinson House The Award-Winning Books Fred Manfred, George Kelley, Diane Rossheim Brochures Society Hill Robert Kramer Society Hill Towers NW Quadrant Lorna Katz Lawson Invitations Reporter ! Sissie Lipton, Norman St. James Highrise Lieberman, Mary Tracy Priscilla McDougal NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2016 PAGE 3 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE By RoSAnne LoeSCH Preserving the Unique Historic Character of our Community for Future Generations lease come out for our General Membership The Zoning Commission concluded that the PMeeting on Wednesday, November 16 to meet Historic Commission review process, which all KSK, the outstanding urban planning firm selected new building or exterior renovation in historic to do a Master Plan for Society Hill (read more districts such as Society Hill must undergo, was on the front page). Your participation in the enough of a protection. However, many in the master planning process is critical to its success. historic preservation community are not sure that this is enough. Our overriding goal, there - We anticipate continued pressures for development fore, in determining future development is to even in a neighborhood such as ours that is already make sure that the unique and historic character in large part fully developed. This could take the of a community we value so much is preserved form of filling in what is now open space or build - for future generations. In addition, there are ing higher structures or denser structures, as is Rosanne Loesch, corners of our neighborhood that could be made SHCA President now allowed in the new zoning code, or through even better, and we hope by engaging in this the process of obtaining a variance. The need for planning process KSK can help us propose variances was supposed to be mostly eliminated plans to upgrade these areas. by the new zoning code. It was one of the stated primary purposes of reforming the code. We look forward to meeting with you on However, while there has been an overall reduc - November 16. tion in the number of variances being requested, Rosanne Loesch to our chagrin, they are still occurring with high is an attorney and former president frequency, especially for larger projects. In addi - of SHCA. She, her husband and two children have tion, no special consideration was given to over - lived in an historic house on Spruce Street since 2002 lays for historic neighborhoods such as ours. and, before that, lived for 14 years in the Washington Square West neighborhood. FIOS INSTALLATION PROGRESSES TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6 Verizon has begun work Hill. Residents may choose assisting him. You may Start Holidays Early with to deliver Fios capability between connections be hearing from Laura at the request of individ - made under the sidewalk as the project moves for - Friends & Neighbors ual homeowners in Society or else “daisy chain” ward, and Verizon sched - connections made throug h ules site visits to place Mark your calendars! All SHCA mem - adjoining basements, duct, fiber or both in bers are invited to the Annual Holiday with the agreement of all basements. Laura can Social on Tuesday, December 6 from homeowners in a block. be reached at 215-591- 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Bridget Foy’s, 200 Unless a daisy chain is 6495 or laura.m. lippin - South Street, 3rd floor. The $15 cover agreed upon, connections cott@verizon. com. Feel includes hors d’oeuvres. A cash bar will be made under the free to contact her with is available and $5 wine will be available. sidewalks. questions or concerns . RSVP by Friday, December 2 with your payment, in Senior Engineering Remember that each day order to provide the restaurant with an accurate Manager Brian Magee the company will excavate account. Make check out to SHCA and mail to SHCA, has visited many of the only as much as can P.O. Box 63503, Philadelphia, PA 19147. homes that qualify for be completed that day; If you wish to attend and are not yet a member, join by the Daisy Chain Project. sidewalks will not be filling out the form on page 25 or visit societyhill.org. Work on American Street Laura Lippincott is now