The Philadelphia Historical Commission approved a redevelopment proposal to demolish a mansion at 40th and Pine and build a five-story, 120-unit apartment complex aimed at attracting graduate students.
This vote, which took place on Friday, upholds the supportive stance that the Commission’s Architecture Committee adopted just a few weeks ago.
While the Historical Commission’s approval pushes the proposal along, the redevelopment plans — spearheaded by Penn and developer Jonathan Weiss — continue to be “stuck in legal limbo,” said Barry Grossbach, the executive director of the Spruce Hill Community Association zoning committee.
A group of West Philadelphia neighbors and property owners, represented by Woodland Terrace Homeowner’s Association, continues to fight the redevelopment efforts in court because they fear that the scale and character of the building will not fit into the neighborhood.
This group is involved in two ongoing court cases. One challenges the demolition rights to the mansion which was designed by Samuel Sloan, a famous mid-19th century Philadelphian architect, and registered as a historic place in 1973. The other court case calls into question the zoning compliance of the proposal.
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