Headlines: Historical Commission to Weigh In on Beige-y Boyd Plans
The original design was denied by the Historical Commission’s Architectural Committee. | Rendering: Pearl Properties, Eimer Architecture
UPDATE (June 12, 2:45 p.m.): Inga Saffron tweeted the outcome from the meeting of the Historical Commission, who apparently ruled on the retail part of the plan and not the tower replacing the auditorium:
Philly Hist Comm approves Boyd retail redevelopment w/ conditions. Still strong opposition from nabes, preservationists and @Darrell_Clarke
— Inga Saffron (@IngaSaffron) June 12, 2015
Pearl Properties tells Philly Historical comm it's withdrawing design for tower to discuss w/ neighbors. Convo on Chestnut retail continues.
— Inga Saffron (@IngaSaffron) June 12, 2015
We have a call out to the Historical Commission to figure out the extent of the conditions for approval.
ORIGINAL: Round two of the development plans for multiple parcels on the 1900 block of Chestnut Street, including the Boyd Theatre, will be presented in front of the full Historical Commission Friday morning.
The initial plans were denied by the commission’s Architectural Committee in May and, as Michael Bixler of Hidden City points out, the latest designs from Pearl Properties and Eimer Architecture will look slightly different when presented this go-around. “Safety through simplicity appears to be the theme for the residential tower’s façade with mute, beige earth colors of “Oyster,” “Zinc,” and “Castle Grey” playing off of both the Boyd’s and Alexander Building’s limestone,” says Bixler.
The rest of the plans look like a mixed bag of good and not-so-promising news for those looking for the remaining parts of the theater to preserved. Bixler reports the plan to install clear glass above the restored marquee has been nixed and the Art Deco glass on the Boyd Theatre is back. However, “the theater’s former courtyard will remain closed off and the foyer on Sansom Street is still slated for a loading dock and area for dumpsters.”
The meeting is scheduled for Friday, June 12th at 9AM in Room 18-029 at 1515 Arch Street.
More Headlines:
- Developer sells portion of Shirt Corner project during construction [Philadelphia Business Journal]
- 3 building package sold at 12th and Passyunk [Passyunk Post]
- Goodbye, Urban Indoor Mall. Hello, Downtown Outlet Center! [NextCity]
- New Building Arrives on the 200 Block of Poplar Street [Naked Philly]
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