PlanPhilly: Planning Philadelphia's Future

On Monday, May 17th, Livable Communities Task Force Members Earl Blumenauer and Allyson Y. Schwartz will join Penn Design School’s Penn Praxis and the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia for a panel discussion on how we can ensure that livability is a priority for Philadelphia. The panel will be moderated by Harris M. Steinberg, FAIA of the University of Pennsylvania School of Design. 

Panelists:

• Alan Greenberger, Acting Deputy Mayor for Planning, Economic Development, and Director of Commerce, will provide the city's perspective.
• John Gattuso of Liberty Property Trust will offer the perspective of the private developer.
• Shawn McCaney of the William Penn Foundation will provide the philanthropic perspective.
• Tony Sorrentino of the University of Pennsylvania will provide the institutional perspective.

RSVP here

Location: 
Academy of Natural Sciences
1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy
Philadelphia, PA 19103

Time: 
7:00 to 7:30, reception
7:30 to 9:00, program

Congressman Earl Blumenauer of Portland co-chairs the Livable Communities Task Force. From 1996 to 2007, he served on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, where he was a strong advocate for federal policies that address transportation alternatives, provide housing choices, support sustainable economies and improve the environment. 

click here for more information on the Livable Communities Task Force

sponsored by Penn Praxis, the Academy of Natural Sciences, Rep. Allyson Y. Schwartz, and Rep. Earl Blumenauer

From the Preservation Alliance monthly newsletter:

Awbury Arboretum District Advances

Fresh on the heels of two new Historic District designations in late 2009 (Tudor East Falls and Parkside), the Philadelphia Historical Commission's Designation Committee will review the nomination of the Awbury Arboretum District at its April 13 meeting.  The proposed district is a collection of 34 single-family homes constructed between 1849 and 1922 by prominent Quake r Thomas Cope and his descendants.  A number of important architects are represented, including Thomas Ustick Walter, Addison Hutton, and Cope & Stewardson.  The district includes the Awbury Arboretum itself, planted by the Cope family and established as a public park in 1916.  The Preservation Alliance prepared the nomination in 2006 and is excited to see it join the growing ranks of Philadelphia's protected historic districts.

Historic Gem Being Developed as Senior Housing

There will be a public groundbreaking at Presser Senior Apartments, 101 West Johnson Street, on April 14 at 10:30am. This is Philadelphia's first housing development to use American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding. For ty-five affordable senior apartments are being developed by Nolen Properties, LLC at the c. 1913 Presser Home for Retired Music Teachers in Mt. Airy, with support from the Preservation Alliance. The Presser building is both a distinguished architectural accomplishment and a testament to a remarkable individual. Theodore Presser founded the company that bears his name, which, by the 1930s, was the leading music publisher in the world.  Presser commissioned Davis and Davis to build a grand Renaissance Revival structure adjacent to his own home in Mt. Airy for retired music teachers. The three story gray brick and limestone structure housed about 100 retirees and continued to operate until 1980. If you plan to attend the groundbreaking, please RSVP to info.ohcd@phila.gov or 215-686-9723.