I know this has been said before, but I just have to comment.

Every time I drive past the top of the hill, I find myself asking the same question: How did Philadelphia allow this to happen? The new construction crowding around the historic church is one of the most jarring examples of context‑blind development I’ve seen anywhere in the city.

The church has stood for generations as an architectural anchor — stone, proportion, dignity, and a sense of place. What now surrounds it looks like a collection of oversized, value‑engineered boxes dropped from a catalog, with no regard for scale, materials, or the character of the neighborhood. It is visually chaotic, and it diminishes one of the most recognizable gateways into Northwest Philadelphia.

This isn’t about resisting change or opposing new housing. It’s about expecting the city to exercise even the most basic level of stewardship. A landmark corner deserved thoughtful design, appropriate setbacks, and materials that respected the historic structure beside it. Instead, we were given the bare minimum allowed by zoning — and it shows.

If this is the standard Philadelphia accepts for prominent, historic sites, then we have lost something essential: the belief that our built environment should reflect care, continuity, and pride. We can and should demand better.

Susan Mandeville

Erdenheim