The Convention Center wrecking ball is poised to topple two historic buildings on North Broad Street, and bury the state's historic preservation agency in the rubble.
It appears that only a reprieve from Gov. Rendell will save the buildings, now that a Commonwealth Court judge has ruled in favor of demolition plans by the state-run Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority.
Wake up, Ed.
Hard to believe the former mayor of the city would turn a blind eye to preserving a piece of Philadelphia's history. Not a great detail for Rendell's legacy resume. But an even more important principle is at stake: Can the state Historical and Museum Commission still enforce future preservation agreements?
In this case, the historical commission had what should have been regarded as an ironclad agreement with the Convention Center. The deal called for incorporating two historic facades into the center's expansion.
Center officials now want to renege, claiming higher preservation costs. A deal is a deal. Yet Judge Keith B. Quigley ruled that the Department of General Services, which is overseeing the convention expansion, merely had to consult the commission; not keep its word.
Beyond the outrageous and irresponsible decision to break the agreement, state officials and the court risk rendering the commission toothless in future preservation efforts. While the Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia says it won't carry on its legal fight to save these buildings, the bigger call for stronger preservation rules is a worthy challenge to Mayor Nutter and key players in the design and preservation communities.
Without earlier efforts by the historical commission, many key landmarks might have been altered or even lost - notably, the Naval Home, Lit Brothers, Reading Terminal Headhouse and more.