Philadelphia City Council Resolves to Save Dilworth House

[February 7, 2006] On February 2, 2006, the Philadelphia City Council unanimously adopted a nonbinding resolution calling upon the Historical Commission to continue to protect and preserve the Dilworth House on the east side of Washington Square. The house is currently listed as a significant historic resource in the city's Society Hill Historic District but the current owner and developer John Turchi wants the house demolished in order to construct a high-rise condominium tower.

The Dilworth House as it currently appears

The Historical Commission had agreed to a delay in making a decision - with the consent of the property owner and opposing parties including the Preservation Alliance and the Society Hill Civic Association - pending review and comment by Mayor Street.

But on February 6, Turchi submitted a new development plan for the Commission to consider. The new plan incorporates just the reconstructed facade of the Dilworth House set in an arcade of the new condo tower (see illustration below). This new plan will be reviewed by the Architectural Committee of the Historic Commission on February 28. Click here to view comments on the new plans by Paul Boni, chairman of the Preservation Committee of the Society Hill Civic Association, and John Gallery, director of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia.

Where's the "Dilworth House"? (Look carefully - it's there somewhere!)

Richardson Dilworth lived in the house from 1957 to 1962- while he was mayor of Philadelphia - and beyond. Society Hill at that time was just beginning to revitalize, and by moving into the Colonial Revival house, Dilworth was making a personal statement about the future of the neighborhood.

The text of the City Council resolution follows:

RESOLUTION

Calling upon the Philadelphia Historical Commission to maintain the Dilworth House's classification as a significant historic building worthy of preservation.

WHEREAS, Richardson Dilworth was a genuine hometown war hero, first earning a Purple Heart as a marine fighting in WWI, and then earning a Silver Star fighting in WWII; and

WHEREAS, Richardson Dilworth was one of Philadelphia's most important civic leaders and political reformers and served as Philadelphia's Treasurer, District Attorney, Mayor, and President of the School Board; and

WHEREAS, under Richardson Dilworth's leadership, the neighborhood of Washington Square East underwent a period of urban renewal, which was the first such program to be based on historic preservation; and

WHEREAS, this urban renewal program enabled Philadelphia to retain its status of a world-class city, served to revitalize living in downtown Philadelphia and became a model for similar movements nationwide; and

WHEREAS, in 1957, Richardson Dilworth made a personal commitment to the success of this program by moving his family into a house at 223-225 S. Sixth Street (the "Dilworth House"); and

WHEREAS, in 2000, the Philadelphia Historical Commission, recognizing the importance of Dilworth's contributions, classified the Dilworth House as having "significant" historical value in the Society Hill Historic District; and

WHEREAS, in 2005, the CommissionÕs Committee on Designation voted unanimously to reaffirm the house's "significant" classification; and

WHEREAS, the Historical Commission has been presented with a petition of over 1,800 signatures from the community advocating for the preservation of the Dilworth House; and

WHEREAS, we are now marking the 50th Anniversary of the first inauguration of Richardson Dilworth as Mayor of Philadelphia and it is important to keep alive his spirit of optimism and faith in the City; and

WHEREAS, The Historical Commission has been presented with an application to alter the Dilworth HouseÕs historic designation in order to demolish the House and erect a luxury condominium building; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA calls upon the Philadelphia Historical Commission to maintain the Dilworth House's classification as a significant historic building worthy of preservation.

February 2, 2006

Frank DiCicco
1st District Councilman

Blondell Reynolds Brown
Councilwoman-at-Large