| UNIVERSITY CITY
HISTORICAL SOCIETY TO RECOGNIZE INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS
FOR NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION EFFORTS February
11, 1998
UNIVERSITY CITY --- The University City Historical
Society will recognize two University City developers for
their efforts in preserving the exterior facades of some
of the area's most historic buildings. It also will honor
two neighborhood groups for their efforts to protect the
area's architectural heritage at a Victorian tea on
Sunday, Feb. 15, from 4-6 p.m., at 802 So. 48th Street.
The UCHS will recognize Danny Liberascoli and The
Restaurant School, 4207 Walnut St., with its Outstanding
Preservation Award for both "returning the historic
Allison Mansion (circa. 1860) to the streetscape in its
near-original condition" and for developing a
complex of support buildings "that continue to
celebrate their 19th Century architecture while serving
the adaptive uses" of the culinary institute.
The Restaurant School, which acquired Allison Mansion
in 1989, has "sympathetically restored" the
6,000-square-foot building, which had fallen into
disrepair, and joined it with a modern 21,000-square-foot
building that includes an atrium dining room. The school
also has acquired and rehabilitated two nearby
multi-family properties, now used as administrative
offices and student residences. The grounds of the school
campus have been landscaped featuring red-paved sidewalks
and period lighting.
The UCHS also will present an Outstanding Preservation
Award to Mark Sherman, a developer and contractor, for
his efforts in less than two years that "have
impacted and transformed our streetscape." Sherman,
attracted to University City by its architectural history
and the diversity of the neighborhoods, has restored a
fire-damaged property at 4600 Spruce St. and a property
at 4504 Pine St.
The UCHS will present two new Preservation Initiative
Awards to recognize extraordinary preservation efforts by
groups of area residents, businesses and those associated
with political organizations and institutions for their
efforts in working to maintain the architectural heritage
of the neighborhoods.
Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, Lindsay Johnson of
Common Ground Realtors and administrators from the Office
of Community and City Relations and the Office of
Community Housing at the University of Pennsylvania will
be recognized with a Preservation Initiative Award for
"their heroic and extraordinary efforts" in
November to stop the demolition of a property (circa.
1913) at 4620 Spruce St. to "preserve the
architectural integrity of one of University City's most
magnificent Victorian blocks."
The UCHS also will recognize the Cedar Point Park
Neighborhood Association with a Preservation Initiative
Award for its "past and continuing efforts" to
preserve the architectural integrity of a Colonial
Revival/Victorian twin property (circa. 1900) at 4618
Cedar Ave. The group has taken " a responsible and
conscientious effort" to engage the owner of the
property in a dialogue and explore alternatives to
planned demolition and renovation to establish a dental
practice on the property.
Michael Hardy, a member of the UCHS Board of
Governors, said that while the outcomes of the
preservation efforts at both the property at 4620 Spruce
St. and the property at 4618 Cedar Ave. are "far
from assured" the UCHS thanks the individuals and
groups involved because "they have demonstrated the
best examples of responsible community stewardship for
the architectural heritage of University City. These
preservation efforts serve as models for responsible
action for the exceptionally-built environment that so
distinguishes our neighborhood."
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