|
City of Philadelphia Historical Commission - Home |
| |
|
Functions |
Philadelphia Historical Commission Services |
| |
-
Designation: The Philadelphia Register of Historic Places
-
Building Permit Application Review
-
Technical Assistance
-
Research Facilities
-
Section 106 Review |
Designation: The Philadelphia Register of Historic Places |
| |
The Historical Commission designates buildings, structures, sites, objects and districts
as historic and enters them on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places.
Click Designation for more information.
(See also sections 5 and 6 of the Historic Preservation Ordinance.) |
|
Back to Top |
Building Permit Application Review |
| |
Any work that requires a building permit or that changes the appearance of an historic
property must have the approval of the Historical Commission before the Department of
Licenses and Inspections will issue a building permit. The Historical Commission staff
approves most permit applications upon or within a few days of submission. When the
scope of work exceeds the staff’s jurisdiction, the Architectural Committee and the
Historical Commission review it. |
|
Back to Top |
Technical Assistance |
| |
The Historical Commission staff can provide technical information about the
preservation and conservation of historic properties and building materials. It can also
answer questions about the practices and procedures of the Commission. In addition, the
staff can offer information about federal and state preservation legislation and the
federal investment tax credit for the restoration and rehabilitation of historic buildings. |
|
Back to Top |
Research Facilities |
| |
The Commission has a small library focused on Philadelphia history, architectural history,
architecture, preservation and archeology. It maintains a file for each property on the
Philadelphia Register of Historic Places. These files vary in content, but frequently
hold chains of title, fire insurance surveys, previously approved building permit
applications, and photographs. The Commission also has files on properties listed on
the National Register of Historic Places in Philadelphia as well as some buildings and
streets not recognized as historic. |
|
Back to Top |
Section 106 Review |
| |
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, and the
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation’s regulations, 36 CFR 800, apply to all
projects assisted by federal funding, licenses or approvals. The 106 process requires the
identification of properties listed on or eligible for the National Register of Historic
Places in the project area and an assessment of the undertaking’s effect on them. As a
"Certified Local Government" under the National Historic Preservation Act, the
City has entered memoranda of agreement with the Advisory Council, the State Historic
Preservation Office, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and with the
Federal Highway Administration to expedite 106 by having the Historical Commission perform
the 106 review for many projects by these agencies. |
|
Back to Top |
This web site is a pilot. Please feel free to give us your comments
about this site in the feedback section.
This page will open in a new window.
Feedback/Comments |