PhillyAccount t1_j9al3u0 wrote on February 20, 2023 at 2:57 PM

I am a big fan of architecture and generally speaking agree with the logic behind historical preservation. But this is dumb and a total waste of money. $1,000,000 from Chubb and all the future maintenance costs out of the Parks and Rec. budget...for what exactly? A single meeting room in Fairmount park? How about we maintain the existing mansions and centennial buildings in the park before adding more operational expenditures to the parks and rec budget?

redeyeblink OP t1_j9ass7q wrote on February 20, 2023 at 3:52 PM

I'm with you on that. Imagine what a million dollars could do for the youth cycling and amateur rowing programs.
>it will be turned into office space for the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia’s youth cycling program and the Schuylkill Navy, which champions amateur rowing on the river
>

And

>”it is a dear object to the community, and Parkway was not about to go in and argue that we should be able to knock it down.”

said Brian Berson, president of Parkway Commercial Properties

Now how many people from the community will go visit that dear object once it's moved to Fairmount?

bukkakedebeppo t1_j9bb06c wrote on February 20, 2023 at 5:51 PM

Nobody, because it won't be accessible to the general public. I live in Fairmount and have spent time at Lemon Hill and didn't even know about the Sedgley Porter House since it is always surrounded by cars and tucked into a corner. It's a cute building and maybe could have been turned into something cool at the existing location, but this really does feel like a waste of money.

inthegarden5 t1_j9bbjji wrote on February 20, 2023 at 5:55 PM

Parkway is paying the $1 million to move it off their land so they can develop it. They weren't ever going to donate that money to anyone.

justanawkwardguy t1_j9aukwd wrote on February 20, 2023 at 4:04 PM

TBH I hadn't heard of it before this article. I would go visit it in it's current location, but seeing as they are planning to relocate it, it may be best to hold off until after it's moved

DippyMagee555 t1_j9b4jds wrote on February 20, 2023 at 5:10 PM

If the building fell apart during transit, nobody would give a damn. That should tell us something.