Episcopal Cathedral gets OK to raze historic buildings, erect apartment high-rise

The Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral received approval Friday to demolish two historic buildings in the 3700 block of Chestnut Street, clearing the way for construction of a 25-story apartment tower.

At a lengthy hearing of the city Historical Commission, the cathedral and its private development partner agreed to conditions imposed by the commission that seek to insure that a portion of development profits flow into repair and renovation of the historic cathedral's bell tower.

"We are committed to preserving the church itself," the Rev. Judith Sullivan, cathedral dean, told the commission. "We are all about preservation."

The proposal before the commission was unusual in that the cathedral and its partner, the Radnor Property Group, argued that the demolition is "in the public interest."

By choosing to proceed in this fashion, they compelled the commission to weigh the relative value of historically designated properties and to consider the possibility that a commercial development, built on the ground of demolished historic properties, is good for preservation.

"We're placing a value judgment in saying that the cathedral is more important," said John Mattioni, a commission member.

The cathedral plans to demolish its own parish house and rectory known together as the parish house placed on the National Register of Historic Places and on the Philadelphia registry in 1981, to construct the apartment tower plus office and retail space.

Well-known church architect Charles M. Burns completely designed one of the three-story brownstone parish buildings in 1902 and redesigned the facade and additional features of the other to complement the cathedral.

At that time the cathedral, also designed by Burns, was known as the Church of the Savior; it was placed on the local registry in 1981 with the parish house and rectory.

At Friday's hearing, members of the historical commission grappled with the meaning of "public interest" and sought repeatedly to determine the amount of money the developer was willing to commit to cathedral restoration. The cathedral's proposal was based on the idea that the commercial development, built on church property, would provide revenues for restoration that the cathedral would not otherwise have. How much money, and how and when it would be used proved difficult for the commission to determine.

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Episcopal Cathedral gets OK to raze historic buildings, erect apartment high-rise