Early this year, it was revealed that a mixed-use high-rise tower would replace two historically designated brownstones on 38th and Chestnut Streets, with construction completing in 2015. It seems that demolition of those two brownstones, formerly Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral’s parish house, is fast approaching, Hidden City Philadelphia recently reported.
According to Philadelphia License & Inspection records, a demolition permit was secured for the brownstones, located at 3723-25 Chestnut Street, on September 27 and updated on November 1 with an amendment for inclusion of a revised work plan. Once demolition completes, construction will begin this year on the $97 million project, developed and overseen by local firm Radnor Property Group (RPG) in partnership with the Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral. The end result will feature a 25-story residential tower offering 276 apartment units, retail on the ground floor, and a fitness center.
The demolition of the Episcopal Cathedral’s parish house, which is on the list of Philadelphia Register of Historic Places, has been one of contention. While the Philadelphia Historical Commission approved in an 8-2 vote the Cathedral’s hardship application to raze the two historic 19th century buildings last summer in order to help fund desperately needed church repairs, the Preservation Alliance appealed its decision, voicing concerns that it will lead to other owners and developers petitioning to demolish historically-sanctioned property. In March, the Alliance and the Commission reached a settlement regarding the appeal, coming to the agreement that the Cathedral will develop, implement, maintain and fund a 50-year preservation and restoration program of the cathedral building. The settlement also requires the Cathedral to set aside $2.1 million in development funds towards immediate work on the church, as well as produce about $1.3 million through those funds for future work.
“We are happy that the parties were able to reach this agreement. This project and the decision of the Historical Commission presented difficult issues for the preservation community in general and the Alliance specifically,” Board of the Alliance Chair Marian A. Kornilowicz said of the settlement in a March statement. “Although the Alliance recognizes the good intentions of the Historical Commission in reaching its decision, it has serious reservations about the Commission’s interpretation of the law and the procedures followed in this case. Nonetheless, the Alliance concluded that an appropriate settlement would be in the best interest of all parties and we were able to accomplish that.”
–Annamarya Scaccia
November 12th, 2013 at 12:28 pm
This is a shame! A pair of fine historic19th Century brownstone townhouses coming down in an area where there are vacant lots.
November 12th, 2013 at 10:01 pm
They were owned by the Cathedral, which didn’t have enough funds to maintain both the church and the brownstones. The revenue generated through the tower can hopefully cover for continuing preservation of the historic church.
December 2nd, 2013 at 7:30 pm
When this church became the “the Cathedral” one of the reasons was that it had lots of money. Piles of it got used (wasted!) on a ill advised remuddling of its interior. I also wonder if any of the funds got tapped by the past Bishop for his crazy ideas and the years of law suits that followed.
The point being because of poor management the community is going to lose a nice little corner park and two important facades. Why have any faith that in 10 or 20 years the same situation comes up and the answer then is to sell the church building. I can hear it now, “we only have 25 people attending Sunday service, and we can’t afford the upkeep”
November 12th, 2013 at 4:11 pm
I have no problem with this. I’d rather have vibrant development on that corner than two decaying brownstones–and it’s worth noting only the facades were considered historic, not the rest of the structures–next to a vacant lot and an ugly non-historic building. It’s precisely the sort of infill development that part of the city needs, and it’s all to benefit the cathedral, which does a lot of good work in this city.
November 14th, 2013 at 9:17 am
A church in which they largely gutted the fantastic Victorian
interior a decade ago. The Cathedral
seems to be poor stewards of everything they own. They destroy their historic fabric and then
wonder why they don’t have a membership that support what little they have
left. Really pathetic.
November 14th, 2013 at 4:02 pm
It’s too bad that we can’t preserve everything indefinitely, but it’s great that this group found a way to save the Cathedral itself–a truly beautiful space with a large mural in the Pre-Raphealite style as well as some remarkable Tiffany glass. We have too many abandoned historic churches in the city, and this group is doing something right if they are able to raise funds for protecting such a lovely fragile building.
June 23rd, 2016 at 4:03 pm
These little doogies aint going nowhere. It’s a dang shame too.