Presser, Nugent homes win historic designation

Status does not preclude demolition

by MICHAEL J. MISHAK

After hearing the emotional testimony of community preservationists at meetings that drew an almost unprecedented attendance, the Philadelphia Historical Commission granted historic status to the second of two embattled Mt. Airy buildings last week.

On Oct. 8, the former Nugent Baptist Home joined the former Presser Home for Retired Musicians, which won historic designation on Sept. 27. Both buildings are part of a 5.6-acre site on West Johnson Street slated for development under a proposal by Blair Christian Academy, a pre-K through 12 school, and Impacting Your World Ministries, a nondenominational Germantown church.

Both the Presser, most recently known as Mt. Airy Commons, and the Nugent, known as Edgemont, homes became the subject of controversy in August when the church announced its plans to purchase the surrounding property and raze all but one of the site’s three buildings. Though no formal plans have been released, the church has said it intends to develop the site for a multi-use facility, which includes a 2,000-seat auditorium, a school and a five-story parking garage.

Four separate community groups, representing Mt. Airy and Germantown, raised objections to any plan involving demolition at both public meetings and Historical Commission hearings. They are advocating for one that would incorporate the existing buildings.

Last month, the commission voted 7-3 to designate the former Presser Home as historic. Four of the commission's 14 members were absent.

"I think these decisions drew more public interest and comment than any I've seen," said Historical Commission spokesman John Farnham, who has worked for the commission for more than two years. The commission recorded four times its average attendance at some meetings, he said.

Noted not only for their architecture, both buildings were part of an early 20th century movement to create special interest retirement homes.

While State Rep. Rosita Youngblood testified in support of historic designation last week, Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller voiced doubts. Miller said buildings she previously supported for historic designation remain vacant and blighted. "I don't want to see designation prevent development," she said.

No guarantee

While many saw historic designation as a guarantee against demolition, the status may not preclude it or other development options, Farnham said.

The commission reviews dozens of applications each month for work that extends beyond restoration, he said. Some are demolition requests.

Though rare, the commission has approved the demolition of historic buildings. "The designation does not automatically mean an expensive restoration," Farnham said.

Petitioners must demonstrate that demolition would either serve the public interest, as was the case with the Pennsylvania Convention Center expansion, or that adaptive costs would constitute a financial hardship, as was the case with Temple University's plans to raze a row of homes within a historic district, he said.

Rules are relaxed for nonprofit organizations, he said.

Future uncertain

Questions remain about how historic designation will affect the church's plans.

While messages left for Impacting Your World Ministries went unreturned at press time, the church’s architect, John A. Teets, told community members at an August meeting that historic designation could add another $2 million to a project budget already pushing $5 million.

Designed as a retirement home, Mt. Airy Commons does not lend itself to adaptive use, he said, and is particularly at odds with Impacting Your World’s plans to build a new church.

It is unclear if the church, which claims to have outgrown its current location, will appeal the commission's decision. A dissolved deal could reportedly cost the church $100,000.

Marc Stier, president of West Mt. Airy Neighbors, testified at both the Presser and Nugent hearings in favor of historic designation. Though he said he was "thrilled" with the commission's decisions, Stier emphasized the community's commitment to considering any plan the church may present.

"This is not about keeping the church out," Stier said. "It's about keeping the buildings the way they are."

Neighborhood groups seeking the buildings’ preservation have vehemently denied allegations of racism and religious bigotry leveled by lawyers for Impacting Your World Ministries during the commission's hearings. Another angle appeared late last month when Sherman Toppin, Impacting Your World's legal counsel, wrote in the Germantown Courier, "All that accompanies the pursuit of this land, including our involvement in the historical preservation controversy, is also somehow within God's will for our ministry — not to be determined by community groups, historical commissions, reporters or writers. To the extent that there are opponents to [the church's] pursuit of this land, we believe that those individuals also oppose the spiritual directive given by God."

"He has a real sense of a calling," Stier said of the op-ed piece. "I'm sure they don't mean to denigrate the community. It just shows how strongly they feel about this. People have different ways of expressing spiritual commitment."

If Impacting Your World were to pull out of its agreement of sale, he said, area community groups would work vigorously to find another developer. Four groups have already expressed interest in the site, Stier said. Two large developers have mentioned the possibility of residences, he said, while other uses include a bed and breakfast and a co-operative retirement home for longtime community residents.