Cancellation of the Bread Street Estates in Philadelphia's Old City

The Bread Street Estates is an ultra-modern luxury townhouse project that is due to be constructed in Philadelphia's Old City, less than a block from Elfreth's Alley ('the oldest residential street in the United States'). This soon-to-be eyesore has clearly been approved for construction by Philadelphia's City Government and it is to be placed alongside historical buildings from the 18th and 19th century. The following is a letter to the Mayor to cancel this project and to ensure that a less brash, and more understated, building is constructed instead. A link to sign an online PETITION IS HERE and below.

This is what will be constructed
alongside historical buildings.

* Let is also be known that we are not proposing to have an imitiation-style Victorian building constructed in place of this one, but that one with a more neutral and conventional design be proposed instead. There are quite a few newer buildings in Old City, but all of them maintain a more conventional aesthetic and do not deface the district. This sort of construction, however, is setting a precedent for similar cheap ultra-modern construction in the future—possibly leading to the disintegration of this historic district of Philadelphia altogether.

Dear Mayor,

This morning, I came across a sign for a prospective townhouse project on 2nd & Race in Old City. Although I am keen on seeing the development of the neighborhood and so forth, I believe that this particular construction project should be looked into a second time and that, if it goes through, it will be seen as a gross error on your part.

The Old City of Philadelphia is a historical district and, much like the old cities in all other countries in the world—i.e. Charleston, Montréal, Québec and those all throughout Europe and the Maghreb—, it should maintain a "historical" aesthetic. People from all over the world travel to Philadelphia in order to see the the Old City—the place in which the Founding Fathers had first deliberated and set the groundwork for this country. The tourism that the Old City attracts is a source of considerable income for the city and I believe that, if you are to approve such ultra-modern and unattractive housing projects (as the one that is now about to be implemented), you are contributing to the defacement of one our country's most visited historical districts.

Not only is this project going to be a blight to the historical feel of the Old City, but it is also going to set a precedent for the construction similar housing projects in the future and, in turn, for the defacement of the entire neighborhood. Thus far, most of the condominiums and estates in Old City proper have maintained a more neutral and antiquated look, but this one is radically modern and clearly does not belong in this part of the neighborhood.

I intend to start a petition supporting the cancellation of the Bread Street Estates project, and perhaps to even make this letter public through social media, but I figured that it would be both tactful and respectful to bring this matter to your attention beforehand.
 



Elfreth's Alley, the oldest residential
neighborhood in the United States &
a US National Historic Landmark.

Cordially,

    A Concerned Philadelphia Resident

* Sign the petition here.



1. Please see the following document by the Preservation Alliance to better understand the sort of buildings that should be constructed in Old City. — http://www.preservationalliance.com/publications/SenseofPlace_final.pdf

2. An example of how the modern can be implemented to complement the old. http://www.eldingoscarton.com/projects/townhouse

3. To e-mail your complaints to Mayor Nutter: michael.nutter@phila.gov