Demolition, man

From Inquirer architecture reporter Inga Saffron comes the news that demolition on Rindelaub’s Row has begun. (The photo’s from her blog, too. I suppose I could have also gotten the news by walking down the street and looking, but, you know.)

The buildings are being demolished to make way for a 40-story condo tower designed by architect Robert A.M. Stern. (And despite the fact Saffon calls him a “world class hack architect,” I think the building looks outofsight cool.) The whole project is the brainchild of developer Hal Wheeler, and has been opposed by “Save Our Square” and the Weekly Press, home of such community paper stalwarts as Thom Nickels and alt-weekly hatin’ Donald True Van Deusen.

Saffon says that, although Save Our Square is appealing the ruling that allowed for the demolition of the buildings, they didn’t get a stay of demolition — so, bang, down go the buildings. They had all been vacant for months, anyway, with places relocating or — sob — closing, like Lombardi’s. (Brad of Phillyskyline says that the developer has offered Lombardi’s a spot in the new building. Let’s cross our fingers.)

The whole thing seems a bit overblown to me; I’m all for saving history buildings, but with the tower set back from 18th Street and the front of the Beaux-arts Rittenhouse Club (which is one of those neat old buildings you pass and go “Ooh! It’s neat and old!”) remaining, these four nondescript, ugly buildings can probably go.

I know it’s Philly’s “French Quarter” (ha) and all, but was a block with a bakery, a hardware store, an Italian pizza place and that art gallery really necessary of all this uproar?

Demolition on 18th Street [Changing Skyline]
News index [Phillyskyline]
Sept. 29, 2005: The Weekly Press, bastion of journalism
Photo taken from Changing Skyline, taken by Inga Saffron’s daughter, Sky Kalfus