| 1 President’s Message by Bruce Holberg, President, Society Hill Towers Owners Association guess I always knew I was HVAC project, we have had appearance between now and Igoing to have to write this some challenges in balancing the main part of the re-do. news, and now I do so with the systems in the north Most all of us have succumbed mixed happiness and sadness. and west towers, which has SOCIETY to ordering all kinds of merchan- Beverly Sherman, our esteemed resulted in less than effective dise online. It is just SO con- General Manager and my air conditioning in some units. HILL TOWERS venient. What isn’t convenient close friend, has announced In your unit, we are re-in- is what to do with the deluge of her retirement from Society stalling various flow-controlling packages that arrive on almost news Hill Towers. She has provided devices. In the mechanical a daily basis. While we have us with early notification to rooms we are inspecting and storage facilities in each tower, allow us to plan for an effective testing a labyrinth of pipes, July, 2019 you certainly have seen the transition, while she continues valves, hydraulic separators, Issue 336 overflow in the lobbies. By the in her role until the end of chillers, etc. Management and way… kudos to our desk clerks the year. our consulting engineer have been digging into the situation, who deal with the avalanche of On an ongoing basis, Beverly and we believe we are this packages every day. Where we shared her enthusiasm for this, close to pinpointing and have a REAL PROBLEM are the third chapter in her life, solving the cause. Incidentally, the large packages such as TVs, with the Council. We have some residents have reported pieces of furniture, tires, etc. been remarkably fortunate to exceptionally strong A/C. Council and management are have Beverly in our lives and Unfortunately, this balancing looking for the best way to for Society Hill Towers to have difficulty is not something handle the package problem, been the beneficiary of her that we could have planned for. especially these huge items. unique gifts, creating profound It is just part of the trials and For now, we ask that residents connections with all with travails of marrying a 60-year- BE HOME to receive these whom she comes into contact. old system with a brand new large shipments so that She has had the responsibility one. As I write this in early arrangements can be made of maintaining I.M. Pei’s July, it is a work in progress. to get them out of the lobby Philadelphia treasure, Society and up to individual units. Hill Towers, for 33 years. We are aware that our hallways and elevators have become If you have received notice Beverly has children and banged up due to transporting that a large item is going to grandchildren in four states, materials during the project. be delivered, please plan on from the East Coast to the West We have estimated enough being home if at all possible, Coast and she is looking forward money to repaint and re-carpet or reschedule the delivery to spending time with them. the halls and clean up the for a time that would be more convenient for you. I look forward to staying elevator cars once the project in touch and updating you as is over. In the meantime, we are Here’s a handy reminder… we move toward appointing a touching up hallway paint and if you are expecting guests over new General Manager and the ordering replacement decora- the summer, don’t forget about Photograph by Todd Sherman evolution of our organization. tive panels for the elevators to our guest apartments. There is a replace the two that have been choice of two, the efficiency at Now, back to everyday life damaged. It is important to 6E West ($90 Monday-Thursday, at the Towers. Regarding the maintain our standards of $100 Friday-Sunday), and now the two-bedroom at 7A North Summer Breaks, Fall Dates ($150 and $175). Bookings are very strong as these are great he Movie Group is taking The following night there will facilities at an economical price. Ta summer vacation. It won’t be a Wine Tasting, planned for be holding meetings in July September 27th. Exercise with We now are officially on the and August. The next meeting Donna is also taking a break back half of summer. Enjoy of the group will be on Thurs- until after the pool closes in it, and be safe. day, September 26th, at 7:30 the fall. We’ll let you know Bruce Holberg p.m. in the Community Room. when it’s starting up again. n President, SHTOA n 22 | Society Hill Towers News Man of Monumental Visions Tribute to I.M. Pei ince the publication of the Slast issue of this newsletter, Pei’s particular we’ve received some sad news. I.M. Pei, the famous architect modernist design who designed the Society Hill is clearly clean, Towers, passed away on May reserved, sharp, SOCIETY 16th at the age of 102. outstanding, with HILL TOWERS Pei was born in southern a simple use of China and spent much of geometry and with news his youth in Suzhou, an area aspirations to known for its beautiful gardens monumentality. Published by and canals. The Pei family’s Society Hill Towers garden, called “Garden of the Owners’Association Lion Forest,” is a two-acre site I.M. Pei, 1917-2019 285 St. James Place where ponds represent lakes Philadelphia, PA 19106 and large rocks represent space (lawn) behind the Towers the Society Hill Towers among 215-923-4105 mountains. Doors and be left as green space, with Pei’s other accomplishments, Council Officers windows frame these pictures no structures thereon. He was commenting: “Pei remained Bruce Holberg of nature and evoke grand also very interested and had a committed modernist, and President landscapes. The complex to approve the three sculptures while none of his buildings Jerrold “Jim” Moss design of the “Lion Forest” by Jacques Lipschitz before they could be called outdated or Vice President and the way the garden deals were purchased. Pei went with traditional; their particular Jeremy Siegel with light, shadow, and other Bill to Hastings-on-Hudson to modernist design is clearly Treasurer natural forms, had a lasting visit Lipschitz’s studio and look clean, reserved, sharp, out- J Otis Smith influence on Pei which we at the pre-casts.” Bill and Pei standing, with a simple use of Acting Secretary find here at the Towers. also went to the White House geometry and with aspirations to visit President Kennedy, who to monumentality.” Council Members Pei planned the Towers’ five- Ben Avicolli had endorsed the selection of acre site to “frame” important This observation caught the eye Wendy Handler Pei for the project. Maggie Schultz views in the surrounding area, of our neighbor Christopher such as that of Old Christ I.M. Pei was a small, Anderson, who noted that Management Church, in the same way that unassuming man of few words. “it presents an appropriate Beverly Shien Sherman traditional Chinese buildings He was modest, considering guideline in making decisions General Manager frame views of gardens. He his accomplishments — which about Towers design projects.” Design included trees, shrubs, and included designing the new Likewise, manager Beverly Judy Lamirand open grassy areas in the site entrance to the Louvre in Paris, Sherman says, “It is in the light Editor / Designer, ParallelDesign design, in accord with William the first western-style hotel to of Pei’s legacy that we make all Penn’s original plan that be built in Communist China, decisions. Whether the project Philadelphia was to be a the Kennedy Library in Boston, is hallways, the fountain, the “Greene Countrie Towne.” and the new wing of the National swimming pool, or the land- Gallery in Washington, DC. — scaping, after the bids are in, Sally Sells and her husband, and considering the accolades the conferences with contrac- Bill, Alcoa’s vice president in that were inevitably showered tors completed, the advice charge of Towers Development, upon him. He was also a from Council and residents lived in a Towers townhouse professor of architecture received, one silent consulta- while the high-rises were still at Harvard University. tion remains, will this honor under construction. Sally com- the vision of I.M. Pei?” mented, “I.M. Pei visited our The world-famous architect house (also designed by him) a and his works earned tributes We hope that the Towers’ few times to discuss the Society in many forms from countries stewards, present and future, Hill Project with my husband. all around the world. An Ar- will continue to honor Pei’s Pei insisted that the green gentine newspaper mentioned monumental visions. n July, 2019 | 3 Save the Date: September 11th “Let’s Talk” Speaker Series Returns By Jo Holz How modes of travel shape the way that we live. fter a summer hiatus, user of Philadelphia’s mass Philadelphia’s transportation Athe “Let’s Talk” Speaker transit system, prefer to drive, systems and the ways they Series returns on September or like to walk, the state of the are looking ahead to both 11th at 7:30 p.m. in the city’s transportation system new opportunities and difficult Community Room, with a affects you directly, because challenges in the coming years. presentation by our neighbor it is a vital element in the city’s Mark your calendar for what Jason Laughlin, a reporter economic, social, and civic promises to be a fascinating for The Philadelphia Inquirer health, and quality of life.