July 7 – October 11, 2009

West Philadelphia: Building a Community

Exhibition at Penn’s Arthur Ross Gallery

PHILADELPHIA—West Philadelphia: Building a Community opens at the Arthur Ross Gallery of the University of Pennsylvania on July 7 2009.This exhibition documents the neighborhood’s 19th-century architectural and urban development while it features highlights of today’s dynamic, multicultural community. The earliest works in the exhibition include watercolors by self-taught Scottish immigrant, David J. Kennedy. Kennedy’s watercolors, drawn from the collection of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, depict West Philadelphia houses, institutions, and streets between 1836-1898. City land maps, early photographs, and post cards also reveal the neighborhood’s rapid expansion and growth then.

Through the use of 21st-century technology, the web and video, visitors can discover West Philadelphia and its history today, The West Philadelphia History Center website, recently launched at Penn by Walter Licht and Mark Lloyd, is also included. This collaborative exhibition is co-sponsored by the Arthur Ross Gallery, The Historical Society of Pennsylvania and the University Archives and Records Center of the University of Pennsylvania.

A series of free public lectures and tours on West Philadelphia’s fascinating history is offered during September and October. The Arthur Ross Gallery will host a free Family Day on Saturday, September 26 (11 am – 2 pm) with events for children and adults. Please consult the Gallery’s website for details. West Philadelphia: Building a Community will continue at the Arthur Ross Gallery. 220 S. 34th Street, Philadelphia, through October 11, 2009.

Additional information is available at www.upenn.edu/ARG or 215-898-2083.

 

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UCHS Announces 2009 Technical Assistance Program
Richard Dretsch, UCHS Board Member

The University City Historical Society (UCHS) is, for the third year in a row, sponsoring a Technical Assistance Program (TAP) in partnership with the Community Design Collaborative of the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects.  The TAP provides West Philadelphia property owners with two hours of on-site, face-to-face consultation with an architect or building preservation expert.

Most of the residential buildings in University City are over a hundred years old.  And while architectural character and history are, in part, what draw many of us to the area, older properties can be a serious technical and financial challenge to maintain.  They have special maintenance needs and it can be difficult to know what should be fixed first, who to call, how much it will cost, and which parts of the project are possible to do on your own versus those best left to professionals.  The TAP program is designed to address these types of questions.  (for more infomation)

download application here

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Philadelphia Rowhouse Manual
A practical guide for homeowners

download pdf here

Rachel Simmons Schade, AIA, Schade and Bolender Architects
National Trust for Historic Preservation
Office of Housing and Community Development
Philadelphia City Planning Commission .

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PHOTO ESSAY of University City by Joe Minardi

And, if you would like to see how we look to others with a great eye and camera technique, check out a photo essay by Joe Minardi of shots of the universities, Powelton, Spruce Hill, Cedar Park and Garden Court along with historically correct commentary, including some interiors which look like Joe was on some of our UCHS House Tours.

Thanks, Joe

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The Building of West Philadelphia: An Historical Survey of Suburban Architecture

Matt Grubel's web site documenting the "transformation of West Philadelphia from a collection of rural estates and small industrial villages into a suburban development took place largely from the 1850s through the 1920s.... The website has three broad catagories that can be explored; a history of the area, an overview of the architecture, and research tools."

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Need to Repair Your Historic Home?
Then the Philadelphia
Historic Properties Repair Program
may be able to help you!

Historic houses are an integral part of Philadelphia’s unique neighborhoods. From the early “trinities” of Northern Liberties to the Victorians in Germantown’s Tulpehocken neighborhood, from the Italianate rowhouses of Fairmount to the bungalow twins of Girard Estates, all contribute to the appeal and livability of the city’s many communities. Yet maintaining and repairing older houses is sometimes a financial burden on homeowners, especially for those with moderate and low incomes.

The Historic Properties Repair Program (HPRP) is a city-funded initiative that is administered by the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia. HPRP assists low- and moderate-income homeowners with grants for exterior repairs to their homes so that the historic character of their neighborhoods can be maintained.

What properties are eligible?
Only owner-occupied residences located in a City of Philadelphia or National Register historic district or residences individually designated as historic. Commercial properties and properties with more than three rental units are not eligible.

What can HPRP grants be used for?
Exterior repairs and restoration work to residential properties. Examples are porch repairs, painting, masonry re-pointing, carpentry restoration, roofing, or window repairs or replacement. Interior work is not eligible.

How much are the grants?
The grant amount is equal to the cost difference between doing basic (nonhistoric) repairs and doing authentic restoration work. For example: replacing porch posts with modern ironwork costs $1,000; replacement with historic wood columns costs $2,500; a HPRP grant would pay the difference or $1,500, and the homeowner pays the base amount, or $1,000. The maximum grant is $20,000 and minimum is $1,500.

Who does the repair work?
HPRP maintains a list from which the homeowner can choose a pre-qualified contractor with restoration experience. Contractors not on the current list may also meet the program’s qualifications.

Who is eligible for a grant?
To be eligible for a repair grant, your total family annual income must be less than the income levels shown below, as determined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development:

Number of persons in your household	1 person	2 persons	3 persons	4 persons	5 persons	6 persons	7 persons	8 persons
Income	$38,550	$44,050	$49,550	$55,050	$59,450	$63,850	$68,250	$72,650

Are there other programs available to help with the cost of basic repairs?
At http:// www.philaloan.com/, you will find information on a city program that offers low-interest (3%) loans of up to $25,000 to resident property owners who meet the income requirements.