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You are viewing 118 articles by the author Alan Jaffe
Look Up! The “concrete castles” of Doylestown
Henry Mercer was a great collector, but also an architect with a singular vision. “Look Up!” is a PlanPhilly feature that encourages appreciation of our architectural and historical environment. The…
Preservation awards honor major tax credit projects
Adaptive reuse of large-scale historic properties will be spotlighted when the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia presents its annual achievement awards on May 15. Three of the projects also took great advantage…
Look Up!: Great architects brought variety of styles to Wyncote
The quiet village of Wyncote is renowned in diverse circles for a few of its former residents, including the poet Ezra Pound, the baseball legend Reggie Jackson, and the Netanyahu brothers…
Look Up! A gilded age of architecture in the Germantown landscape
The city’s first suburb was a canvas for great design and a variety of 19th century styles. “Look Up!” is a PlanPhilly feature that encourages appreciation of our architectural and historical…
Look Up! Train station welcomed residents to city’s first garden suburb
The Tulpehocken Station has been restored, but awaits a new occupant to serve commuters and visitors to Germantown. “Look Up!” is a PlanPhilly feature that encourages appreciation of our architectural…
Look Up! The vantages of Lemon Hill
Restoration of Lemon Hill has opened up great views of the 1799 house from Kelly Drive and wonderful vistas of the city from atop the historic property. “Look Up!” is…
New Alliance executive director values community benefits of historic preservation
Caroline Boyce comes to the Preservation Alliance position with a strong background in statewide advocacy, local planning and community development – and a passion for old amusement parks. Caroline E.…
Look Up! A section of Spruce bursts with color and texture
On the 1900 block, late-19th century architects brought exciting new ideas to the row of brownstones. “Look Up!” is a PlanPhilly feature that encourages appreciation of our architectural and historical environment.…
Look Up! A Modern brick house on the city’s grand boulevard
The Parkway House borrowed from earlier styles, but the designers gave it an identify of its own. “Look Up!” is a PlanPhilly feature that encourages appreciation of our architectural and…
Little-known architect of threatened church to be focus of NYC symposium
Patrick Charles Keely designed more than 700 religious buildings, including Philadelphia’s Church of the Assumption. While the battle to save the Church of the Assumption from the wrecking ball grows…
Look Up! St. Stephen’s is a canvas of 19th century design
Three architects contributed distinctive styles to the landmark church on South 10th Street. “Look Up!” is a PlanPhilly feature that encourages appreciation of our architectural and historical environment. The photo essays focus…
The Executive Director of the Historical Commission defends the city’s record on protecting historic buildings and explains the challenges of the city agency.
PlanPhilly sat down on Jan. 23 with Jonathan Farnham, executive director of the Philadelphia Historical Commission, to discuss challenges facing the Commission and to discuss recent concerns and comments from the…
Look Up! Recent redevelopment proposals for the Divine Lorraine and Keystone National Bank cast light on a lesser-known 19th-century architect, Willis Hale.
“Look Up!” is a PlanPhilly feature that encourages appreciation of our architectural and historical environment. The photo essays focus on different Philadelphia areas and their distinctive building styles and details, all…
Social media campaign to “Save the Roundhouse”: Penn grad students are staying ahead of the curve by mounting support before the city announces plans to raze the mid-century landmark.
It’s a building that many Philadelphians love to hate – a gray, concrete, distended kidney-shaped island rising in a sea of traffic. The Police Administration Building, better known as the Roundhouse,…
"A culture of despair” when it comes to preservation in Philadelphia
Earlier this month, PlanPhilly spoke with Aaron Wunsch, the new assistant professor of historic preservation at the University of Pennsylvania. He has been instrumental in ongoing efforts to rescue the Frank…
Looking back at preservation efforts in 2012. A year of threatened churches, grand homes, and great fighters
It was a year of legal maneuvering, courtroom drama, despair and hope for some of the Philadelphia area’s great architectural and historical resources. Nearly every battle for preservation has been daunting,…
Reprieve granted for historic Spring Garden church
Hold the wrecking ball. The Church of the Assumption received a pre-holiday gift Tuesday from the Board of Licenses & Inspections Review, which granted a stay on the demolition permit pulled…
Owner of historic Church of the Assumption says he isn’t able to preserve it
The owner of the Church of the Assumption, the historic structure at the center of a longstanding preservation battle, said he does not want to raze what he calls a “beautiful…
Look Up! An American classic at the heart of an urban campus
“Look Up!” is a PlanPhilly feature that encourages appreciation of our architectural and historical environment. The photo essays focus on different Philadelphia areas and their distinctive building styles and details, all…
Look Up! A marble tribute to a Civil War casualty
“Look Up!” is a PlanPhilly feature that encourages appreciation of our architectural and historical environment. The photo essays focus on different Philadelphia areas and their distinctive building styles and details, all…
