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CANDIDATES FOR MAYOR RESPOND TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION QUESTIONS
The Preservation Alliance sent Democratic Candidate for Mayor Michael Nutter and Republican Candidate for Mayor Al Taubenberger a list of questions about historic preservation. Here are their responses.
1. What policies or programs would you adopt as mayor to enhance the relationship between the preservation of historic resources and community and economic development?
Nutter: Philadelphia’s many historic sites and neighborhoods contribute to the economic vitality and character of our city. As Mayor, I will work with preservation advocates to ensure that our historic resources are integrated into the city’s tourism and marketing efforts. Boston, Massachusetts and Charleston, South Carolina provide useful models for how we might best utilize Philadelphia’s historic elements to attract visitors. During my tenure in City Council, I was instrumental in supporting the relocation of the Please Touch Museum to Memorial Hall, an important preservation and tourism project. As Mayor, I will continue to promote comparable concrete efforts to incorporate our city’s historic resources into how we promote Philadelphia.
Additionally, I plan to implement policies that encourage historic preservation when it comes to planning and community development. As part of this effort, I will direct the city’s development agencies to balance the needs of neighborhood revitalization and preservation of existing buildings, communities, and resources. While in City Council, I helped create the Fairmount Park Historic Preservation Trust, which provides for the historic preservation of Park properties by securing long-term tenants who have the financial capacity to undertake needed renovations. As Mayor, I will support similar projects.
Taubenberger: My approach to any policy or program that I adopt as mayor on this issue will reveal my conviction that development and historic preservation are not at odds. The preservation of our historic resources contributes tangible and intangible benefits that aid in community and economic development. My approach to the actual implementation of these policies and programs would be a surgical one, such as that taken by Edmund Bacon and my political role model when it comes to urban renewal, Mayor Richardson Dilworth.
2. What, if any, is the relationship between historic preservation and the reform of the City’s zoning code or city planning policies?
Nutter: If elected Mayor, I will restore the Planning Commission as the city’s preeminent planning agency. I will also work with City Council to craft legislation to ensure that community needs are factored into the Planning Commission’s considerations. Opening up the city’s planning process to review and civic involvement will provide historic preservation advocates with a much-needed voice in the development of Philadelphia’s future.
Taubenberger: Reform of the city’s zoning code and planning policies must reflect the critical importance of preserving Philadelphia’s greatest asset: its history. Zoning and planning policies ought to better recognize the need to protect structures and sites that are important to the history of our city and nation. Each of these layers tells a story, whether it is from 1901 when City Hall was completed, or 1701 when Philadelphia was founded or earlier. The loss of any layer is irreplaceable and makes the story incomplete. If our diverse and rich history is important to us as a community is should be reflected in our zoning and planning policies.
3. How do Philadelphia’s historic and architecturally distinctive residential buildings and neighborhoods fit into your vision and what policies and programs would you adopt to enhance the preservation and improvement of such neighborhoods?
Nutter: Historic preservation is linked to many important issues facing Philadelphia. Accordingly, as Mayor I will make it a part of my tourism and neighborhood planning efforts (as mentioned above). I will also work to ensure that the historic district designation process is carried out in a timely manner.
Taubenberger: Any policy or program that encourages homeowners to renovate crumbling homes and preserve their historic character is one that I would favorably consider as mayor. Given the proper incentives, such policies and programs could be as successful today as they were when applied to Society Hill in the 1950s and 1960s
4. Do you feel that historic district designation is a valuable procedure and if so, what actions would you take to enable neighborhood organizations to obtain designation as an historic district in a reasonable period of time?
Nutter: Historic district designation is an important mechanism for protecting Philadelphia’s many defining buildings, sites and neighborhoods. If elected Mayor, I will work to speed up the designation process by ensuring that the Historical Commission has sufficient resources - such as staff, loaned executives and volunteers - to manage designation requests in a timely manner.
Taubenberger: The designation of historic districts is definitely a valuable preservation approach to protecting historic assets. Given its history, it is tragic that Philadelphia has been unable to make more use of historic district designations. One action that I would take as mayor is to ensure that the Historical Commission has the resources it needs to assist community organizations in preparing nominations for historic district designation. At the present the Commission does not have the resources to complete the review process of these applications, let along prepare the district nominations themselves.
5. What steps would you take to monitor the status and condition of City-owned historic properties and to insure that such properties are preserved, well maintained and appropriately used?
Nutter: Restoration projects should not be at the mercy of inconsistent budget cycles. As Mayor, I will work with civic leaders to secure funding, including private funding streams, for the maintenance and preservation of significant buildings, such as City Hall.
Taubenberger: The steps would be twofold: first, to make sure that the Philadelphia Historical Commission has the resources it needs to fully apply Philadelphia Preservation Ordinance 14-2007 when carrying out its critical mission to protect the city’s historic resources; and second, to ensure that the Department of Licenses and Inspections improves its performance in assisting the Commission in a timely, efficient, and effective manner
6. Ideally, what activities do you think the Historical Commission should undertake beyond its required regulatory functions of reviewing permit applications? What level of funding do you think is appropriate and necessary for the Commission to carry out its responsibilities?
Nutter: It should provide regular updates to the Mayor on the status of historic buildings- especially ones under agreement to developers, where progress is not being made.
Taubenberger: The appropriate level of funding is determined by agency mission and the ability of the agency to perform its core mission. That being said the ability of the Commission to perform its core mission has been jeopardized by years of under funding. As the Commission’s portfolio of historic districts and stewardship of properties increased, its staff and budget should have increased accordingly. As mayor I would support—and strongly encourage City Council to support—a staff increase of at least three persons, as well as an increase in the Commission’s budget for consulting services. Activities in addition to required regulatory functions, such as assisting community organizations in the preparation of historic district nominations, should only be considered after it has adequate resources to perform its core mission.
7. What is your favorite historic building in Philadelphia and why?
Nutter: I find Memorial Hall to be particularly beautiful. I like the setting (Fairmount Park), and the majestic columns and the dome. It is a great building.
Taubenberger: Independence Hall was my favorite historic building as a child growing up in Philadelphia, but as an adult City Hall is looking better and better every day…..
