Philadelphia Region Historic Sites Threatened

Three Philadelphia area historic sites are included on Preservation Pennsylvania’s annual list of most endangered historic properties: Twin Silo Road Historic District in Plumstead Township, Bucks County; West Chester Downtown Historic District, Chester County; and The Lazaretto, Tinicum Township, Delaware County.

Preservation Pennsylvania, the state’s historic preservation advocacy organization, listed ten threatened properties statewide on its Pennsylvania at Risk 2001 list of historically significant sites which face imminent endangerment either from overt action, neglect, incompatible use, or loss of context. In the past, the list has included such threatened regional properties as Brandywine Battlefield, the Deshong Estate (Chester city), and in Philadelphia: Eastern State Penitentiary, the Dream Garden Mural, the Naval Hospital (recently demolished), the PSFS Building (restored last year), the U. S. Naval Home, and Knowlton (restored).

New to this year’s list is the 1799 Lazaretto on the Delaware River (Tinicum Township) which for nearly a century served as the port of Philadelphia’s quarantine station, believed to be the nation’s oldest surviving example of its type. Last year the Lazaretto, which remains in remarkably original condition, was bought by Island Marine Partners, a development partnership who initially announced its intention to demolish the National-Registered building and cover the 10-acre site with an airport parking lot.

Since then Tinicum Township, which – like many suburban communities – does not have a local protective preservation ordinance, has formed a task force to explore ways to save the Lazaretto. Recently Island Marine Partners has made overtures to the township indicating its willingness to sell the historic building to the township, while retaining much of the associated land for development.

The township intends to seek a grant to pay for a feasibility study which would, it is hoped, demonstrate viable and appropriate re-use alternatives for the Lazaretto, and thereby inform the township’s decisions regarding acquiring the property. J. Randall Cotton, the Alliance’s Interim President, serves on the task force, and the Alliance views the Lazaretto as one of the region’s most significant, yet largely unknown, historic sites, and is actively advocating for its preservation.

Also threatened is West Chester’s downtown historic district. Chester County court officials are proposing to demolish much of an entire block in the heart of the district in order to construct a new, consolidated court complex. According to Preservation Pennsylvania, threatened are not only several historic structures, but also the character of the downtown which is currently thriving as a traditional mix of retail, commercial, restaurant, and residential uses.

While the borough has an preservation ordinance and Historic Architectural Review Board, the recommendations of the HARB to borough council are advisory only. So far, borough council members are divided in their opinions regarding the County’s plan, and no actions have come before the council to date. The HARB’s report on the historic significance of the effected building can be found at www.west-chester.com.

The third threatened site is a 300-acre historic district in Plumstead Township, Bucks County. Known as the Twin Silo Historic District, it represents cultural and rural landscapes, country roads, agricultural buildings, and field patterns which are virtually unchanged in a hundred years. The current threat is a proposal by a developer to subdivide the historic 140-acre Strouse farm, which is the largest parcel in the district, and build 87 new houses. The need for subdivision infrastructure such as modern roads and sewers also threaten much of the remaining district.

For further information on these, and other endangered state historic sites, visit Preservation Pennsylvania’s website at www.preservationpa.org.