Extant Magazine - Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia

The Preservation Alliance’s magazine Extant debuted in Winter 2015. Published three times a year in collaboration with Hidden City Philadelphia, the magazine is distributed free to members and supporters. Click the covers below to read online.

Spring 2022

Digging Deep: Preserving the History Beneath our Feet
Restoration Role Model: The Arlen Specter US Squash Center
Places to Save: Rothacker-Orth Brewery and Lager Beer Saloon; 23rd District Police Station; Jacob Reed’s Sons’ Store; South 44th Street Rowhouses
Places Lost and Places Saved
Unlisted Philadelphia: North Broad Street Station
Final Word: In Germantown, Even Preservation is “Historic”

Winter 2022

A Prison Reformed: Eastern State Penitentiary Confronts Injustice
Restoration Role Model: Steeple Lofts
Places to Save: Penn Knox Historic District; Ninth National Bank; Hickman Temple AME Church; Haab Buildings
Places Lost and Places Saved
Restoration Role Model: The Tidewater
Unlisted Philadelphia: Queen Lane Filter Plant
Final Word: Preserving the past for a more just and collective future

Fall 2021

Retore, Reuse, Recycle: The rowhouse is greener than you think
Restoration Role Model: The Tidewater
Places to Save: Coltrane Row; Russell Conwell Row; Pyramid Club; Crystal Bird Fauset House
Unlisted Philadelphia: De Gray Street Row
Final Word: Save the Roundhouse

Spring 2021

Taking Stock: A Quarter-Century of Preservation Advocacy
The Next 25 Years: A Roadmap for Success
Restoration Role Model: Harbisons Dairy
Places to Save: St. Vincent’s Orphan Asylum; John W. Hallahan Catholic Girls’ High School; 52nd Street Business District
Unlisted Philadelphia: New Bethlehem Baptist Church
Final Word: Learning from Frank Furness

Winter 2021

The Ordinary Extraordinary: Germantown’s Colored Girls Museum
Preserving Black Historic Sites: 4 Case Studies
Restoration Role Model: The Aspen Grove School and The Deacon at First African Baptist Church
Places to Save: Barber’s Hall; Circle Mission Church; Imperial Theater; Hotel Brotherhood
Unlisted Philadelphia: The Pearl Bailey House
Final Word: Preservation’s Racial Reckoning

Fall 2020

Missing in Action: Reclaiming the Women Who Made History
Restoration Role Model: Blaisdell Paper Pencil Factory
Places to Save: North Sixth Street Farmers Market; Engine 11 Firehouse; North City Trust; Colonial Savings Bank
Places Lost and Places Saved
Final Word: Preservation in the Public Realm

Spring 2020

Attention to Detail: Historic building crafts thrive in 21st century Philadelphia
Restoration Role Model: Margaret Esherick House
Places to Save: Temperance Hall; Hahnemann Hospital; Giovanni’s Room; Police Administration Building
Places Lost and Places Saved
Unlisted Philadelphia: Sansom Row
Final Word: Preservation as Ethical Imperative

Winter 2020

Meaning and Memory: Making a place for culture in Historic Preservation
Places to Save: Manayunk Millworkers’ Housing; Philadelphia Warehousing and Cold Storage Company; Good Shepherd Community Church; Chestnut and Walnut Street Commercial Buildings
Places Lost and Places Saved
Unlisted Philadelphia: Germania Turnverein / Knitter’s Hall
Final Word: Preservation for People

Fall 2019

Easements Are Forever
Places to Save: Trocadero Theatre; John Evans’ Sons and Keystone Spring Works; Levine Funeral Home/Original Apostolic Faith Church; Dox Thrash House
Restoration Role Model: The Hale Building
Places Lost and Places Saved
Unlisted Philadelphia: Hotel Powelton
Final Word: Kenny Grono

Spring 2019

A Fine and Public Place: New life blooming at Philadelphia’s historic cemeteries
Places to Save: 19th Street Baptist Church; Bell Telephone Exchange; Dr. Scholl’s Comfort Shoes; Route 15 Trolley
Restoration Role Model: The Oaks Cloister, Germantown
Places Lost and Places Saved
Unlisted Philadelphia: Banco Bozzelli
Final Word: Harris M. Steinberg

Winter 2019

A Glorious Uplift for Philadelphia’s Sacred Places
Places to Save: Fisher’s Lane Bridge; Ascension of Our Lord; Clairemont Farm; Robinson Building
Restoration Role Model: Frankford Avenue Bridge over Pennypack Creek
Unlisted Philadelphia: American Protestant Hall

Fall 2018

Historic Districts Make a Comeback

Districts with a difference: from micro-blocks to broad thematic groups
Districts to Save: Germantown Avenue; Chinatown; Municipal Buildings; Italian Market
Restoration Role Model: Lural Lee Blevins Veterans Center at HELP Philadelphia B
Unlisted Philadelphia: Automobile Row

Spring 2018

Philadelphia’s Standout Storefronts
Places To Save: Frankford Chocolate Company, South Broad Street Rowhouses, Mount Vernon Baptist Church, 30th Street Station
Restoration Role Model: Pyramid Lofts
Unlisted Philadelphia: Tourison Building

Winter 2018 Special Edition: Demolition Crisis

How To Save A Building: Lessons From Four Cities
A Field Guide To Demolition: Development Pressures Facing Four Neighborhoods
Unlisted Philadelphia: Philadelphia International Records; Regency Ballroom and Philadelphia Fine Print Shop
Revitalizing Baltimore Through Historic Preservation

Fall 2017

Lights! Music! Action! The Landsdowne Theater Wakes Up
Restoration Role Model: East Park Canoe House
Unlisted Philadelphia: Locust Theater
Places to Save (Trinity Oxford Parish House, Esslinger’s Brewery, West Powelton Victorian Rows, Disston Recreation Center)
National Trust Treasures Philadelphia’s Neighborhoods

Spring 2017

North Broad Rising: The Divine Lorraine Lights the Path to Long-Awaited Revival
Unlisted Philly: William Decker’s 1890 Ellis Mansion
Places to Save (Strickland Row, Tabor Chapel, Beury Building, Lipkin Furniture)

Winter 2017

The Grassroots Come Alive: Citizen-Preservationists Fight to Protect Historic Buildings
Unlisted Philly: John Decker & Son Architectural Sheet Metal Works
Places to Save (Jewelers Row, Gershman Y, Weisbrod & Hess Brewery, West Philadelphia Institute)

Fall 2016

Ring the Alarm! Philly Fire Houses Imperiled by Neglect, Development
Unlisted Philly: An Electrical Substation in Art Deco Disguise
Places to Save (Morton Weiss House, Hovenden House and Abolition Hall, West Philly Victorians, Loch Aerie)

Volume Two Issue 1

Sharswood Redevelopment: A Neighborhood’s Fabric in Jeopardy
Under Threat: Philly’s Built African-American Heritage
Places to Save (1900 Block of Sansom Street, Harbisons Milk Bottle, St. Paul’s Baptist Church, Third Presbyterian Church)

Volume One Issue 3

Taking Stock of Philly Public Schools
Jim Kenney for Preservation?
Places to Save (Society Hill Playhouse, Germantown Boys & Girls Club, Penn Fruit, and Dyottville Glass Works Homes)

Volume One Issue 2

Back from the Brink in Kingsessing
Salvation for a Neighborhood Icon in Manayunk
Places to Save (3600 block of Lancaster Avenue, St. Laurentius Church, and Edward Corner Marine)

Volume One Issue 1

The Room and Haas Building at 50
Making Preservation Work in Parkside
Places to Save (William Penn Inn, Mount Moriah Cemetery Gatehouse, the Blue Horizon, and the Fairmount Park Welcome Center)

Before the launch of Extant, the Alliance published its Preservation Matters newsletter from 2003 to 2013.

Preservation Matters Fall 2013

Area Organizations Working to Preserve Historic Resources (South of South Neighborhood Assoc./ Strawberry Mansion CDC and NAC)
Pride of Place Neighborhood Grant Recipients
Online Preservation Map
Blue Horizon Auditorium Threatened
South Philadelphia Firehouse Faces Uncertain Future
New Additions to the Philadelphia Register
On Becoming a Tour Guide
New Board Directors

Preservation Matters Spring 2013

20th Annual Preservation Achievement Awards
Preservation Month Calendar
Advocacy Updates: Episcopal Cathedral; Endangered Property Updates; Historic Preservation Incentive Act

Preservation Matters Winter 2013

African American Heritage Trail Project Launches
Preservation Alliance Names New Executive Director
Area Organizations Focus on Preserving Historic Resources
Neighborhood Preservation Conference 2012
Revitalizing Neighborhoods One Block at a Time with Alliance Grants
Endangered Property Updates: Purvis House, Church of the Assumption, Carver Court, Nugent Home
Preservation in the Courts
New Easements Accepted

Preservation Matters Fall 2012

Farewell Message from Outgoing Executive Director John Gallery
Area Organizations Working to Preserve Historic Resources
Preservation Education
Historic Markers Survey
Preservation Report in the Making
Endangered Property Updates: Nugent Building, Joe Frazier’s Gym, Church of the Assumptions, Divine Lorraine, Henry Pierce House
Alliance Aids Nominations for Kensington Factories
New Board Directors
Emerging Leaders Class Graduates

Preservation Matters Spring 2012

19th Annual Preservation Achievement Awards
Preservation Month Calendar
Advocacy Updates: Philadelphia Register Additions; Endangered Property Updates; Tax Credit Bill

Preservation Matters Winter 2012

Museums and Sites Can Inspire with Their Inclusive Stories
Historic African American Swim Club Looking to Expand
The Alliance Rallies Partners to Assist Historic Church
Community Preservation Projects Receive Pride of Place Grants
Vital Neighborhoods Initiative: Revitalizing Neighborhoods One Block at a Time
Area Organizations Working to Preserve Historic Resources
Dilworth House Saved Again
Database of Historic Churches

Preservation Matters Fall 2011

Philadelphians Honored by Preservation PA
Area Organizations Working to Preserve Historic Resources
Vital Neighborhoods Initiative Summer Update
Advocacy Updates: Cruiser Olympia, Church of the Assumption, 26th District Police Headquarters, Mount Moriah Cemetery, Edison High School

Preservation Matters Spring 2011

18th Annual Preservation Achievement Awards
2011 Homeowner Awards
Vital Neighborhood Grants Awarded
Preservation Month Events Calendar
Advocacy Updates: Endangered Properties Report, Church of the Assumption

Preservation Matters Winter 2011

Black History in Pennsylvania
Alliance Settles Hillman Medical Center Appeals
African American Board Training
Philadelphia Likes Mod Contest Winners
Advocacy Updates: Divine Lorraine, Henry Pierce House, Rittenhouse District, Neighborhood Churches
Preservation Begins at Home
New Board Directors Elected
EndangeredCITY Art Show

Preservation Matters Fall 2010

Modernism in Philadelphia
Vote for Your Favorite Mid-Century Architecture
Family Court Building
Revisiting Virginia’s Past
Preservation Awards Luncheon Photos
Milestones in Philadelphia Historic Preservation

Preservation Matters Spring 2010

17th Annual Preservation Achievement Awards
2010 Homeowner Awards
Neighborhood Preservation
Preservation Month Events Calendar
Advocacy Updates: ISI Building, Bouvier Building, Marine Depot, Awbury Aboretum District

Preservation Matters Winter 2010