DiPasquale SiteAnalysis

7/30/2019 DiPasquale SiteAnalysis

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H A W T H O R N E H A L LI N T E G R A T E D P R O J E C T D O S S I E R

U n i v e r s i t y o f P e n n s y l v a n i a H S P V 6 0 1 R e c o r d i n g & S i t e A n a l y s i s

Laura Di Pasquale Vanessa dela Torre Rachel Hildebrandt Sarah Peterson Courtney Willaims


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TA BLE O F C O N TEN TS

I N T R O D U C T I O N

E x e c u t i v e S u m m a r y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A c k n o w l e d g e m e n t s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

G r o u p B i o g r a p h i e s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

H I S T O R Y & S I G N I F I C A N C E

S t a t e m e n t o f S i g n i f i c a n c e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

T h e B l o c k : T h e n & N o w . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

H i s t o r i c M a p s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

S i t e C h r o n o l o g y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

E p h e m e r a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

L O C A T I O N

C u r r e n t M a p s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

R o o f t o p V i e w s o f S u r r o u n d i n g A r e a s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

B U I L D I N G D E S C R I P TI O N

D e s c r i p t i v e A n a l y s i s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I N T E R I O R P H O T O G R A P H S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

D I A G R A M S

P o i n t o f E n t r y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A r c h i t e c t u r a l A r c h a e o l o g y. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

C o m p a r i s o n o f C C o m p o n e n t s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

B l o c k P a t t e r n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

G L O S S A R Y

E x t e r i o r M a t e r i a l s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I n t e r i o r D e c o r a t i v e M a t e r i a l s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S p i n d l e D i a g r a m . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

R E C O R D I N G S T R A T E G Y & D O C U M E N T A T I O N

R e c o r d i n g S t r a t e g y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

S c h e d u l e o f S i t e V i s i t s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

D o c u m e n t a t i o n a n d P r e s e r v a t i o n N e e d s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

C O N T I N U E D

001

002

003

006

009

010

011

012

015

016

018

024

045

046

049

051

053

055

058

060

062

063


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TA BLE O F C O N TEN TS

C O N D I TI O N S

C o n d i t i o n s S u r v e y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

W a l l C o n d i t i o n s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

T H E R M A L I M A G I N G . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

R E F L E C T I O N S

A t t i t u d e s a n d P o s s i b l e U s e s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

R e c o m m e n d a t i o n s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

C o n c l u s i o n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

B I B L I O G R A P H Y

B i b l i o g r a p h y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I m a g e s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A P P E N D I X

F I E L D N O T E S

M E A S U R E D D R A W I N G S

065

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070

075

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UN IV ERSITY O F PEN N SYLV A N IA SPRING 20 11SITE A N A LYSIS O F HA W THO RN E HA LL

IN TRO D U C TIO N


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UN IVERSITY O F PEN N SYLVA N IA001

H A W TH O RN E H A LL Introduction

Executive Summary

Hawthorne Hall is a late nineteenth-century architectural gem located in West

Philadelphias Powelton Village area. After thriving as a center for social activity in its early years,

deferred maintenance and lack of funding has resulted in significant loss of historical fabric on

the buildings interior and rapidly declining architectural features on its exterior. Through the

University of Pennsylvanias HPSV 601 spring semester Recording and Site Analysis class, we five

first year Historic Preservation graduate students conducted a comprehensive assessment of the

structure in its current state.

Archival research has illuminated the buildings former life and surrounding community,

careful on-site studies have revealed clues as to the original layout and interior decoration, and color

and texture unrenderable in field notes have been documented using digital SLR photography.

Floor plans and elevations mapped by hand and converted into AutoCAD were also compiled for

future reference, as were notations of possible previous architectural interventions. Additionally,

current conditions and preservation concerns were assessed both visually and with the aid of

thermal photography.

Through numerous site visits, continued research, and countless hours of recording, our

team has come to better understand and appreciate Hawthorne Hall and its Annex. We are pleased

to present our findings this fifth day of May, 2011.


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Statement of Significance

Near the edge of the Powelton Village neighborhood in West Philadelphia stands

Hawthorne Hall, a structure remarkable not only for its interesting and unusual architectural style

and detailing, but also for its social and historical significance. Constructed in 1895 as part of a

unified block of buildings, Hawthorne Hall maintains a prominent presence on Lancaster Avenue,

an historic route between Philadelphia and Lancaster, PA. The Hawthorne Hall unit, whose facade

curves onto Hamilton Street from Lancaster Avenue, is well positioned to attract the attention of

West Philadelphia-bound passersby. The block further illustrates the development and evolution

of its neighborhood, and serves as an example of a rare and overlooked type of public space: the

fraternal lodge. Additionally, it exhibits an eclectic conglomeration of high style elements typically

seen in the work prominent local architects who designed for elite Center City Philadelphians.

During the last quarter of the nineteenth and the first quarter of the twentieth centuries,

Philadelphias western periphery was ripe for development. Improved public transportation

facilitated faster and cheaper commutes to and from Center City, and working and middle class

households experienced an increase in income, allowing increased spending on properties and

consumer goods.1

In the late 1890s, operative builders2 Arthur Wright and Adolphus Prentzel took

advantage of the demand for new housing and commercial spaces, erecting blocks of speculative

row houses on Center City Philadelphias periphery. The majority of their developments

were located in North Philadelphia, near their offices at 3560 Marshall Street and later, 2043

Westmoreland Street.3

In 1895, on the edge of a lumber yard in the Powelton Village neighborhood of West

Philadelphia, Wright and Prentzel erected a curved row of attached mixed-use buildings. The

rows most prominent unit, Hawthorne Hall, is stylistically consonant with its flanking buildings

but distinguished by its concentration of ornamentation and its unique relationship to Lancaster

Avenue. At the time of the developments completion, Lancaster Avenue, which spanned the sixty

1 John Henry Hepp, The Middle-class City: Transforming Space and Time in Philadelphia, 1876-1926 (Philadelphia:

University of Pennsylvania Press, 2003), 25-47.

2 1419 W. Erie Ave, Philadelphia Architects and Buildings website, accessed 8 February, 2011. http://www.

philadelphiabuildings.org/pab/app/pj_display.cfm/934394

3 Laura A. DiPasquale, Hawthorne Hall: Vibrant, Versatile, and Vacant (University of Pennsylvania, 2010),

13-16.

History & Significance


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five miles between Philadelphia and Lancaster, PA, was a booming commercial corridor.1

The Hawthorne Hall block maintains the scale of its context, mainly consisting of two and

three story brick houses. The block is distinguished from its surroundings by fine building materials

and ornamentation. Developers Wright and Prentzel employed the use of materials such as iron-

speckled Roman brick, Connecticut Milford pink granite, and galvanized iron sheet metal. In

addition, they incorporated high style architectural elements including gable fronts, diaper pattern

brickwork, ornate bay windows, ornamental terra cotta panels, and arched entrance portals. As a

whole, the composition represents a speculative developers interpretation of the architecture of

local academic eclectics Theophilius Parsons Chandler, Frank Miles Day, and Wilson Eyre, Jr.

While it is unclear exactly how Wright and Prentzel believed the social hall portion of their

building would be used, the diversity of its early tenants indicates the building was a keystone in

its community. From at least 1902 until 1930, the ground floor was used as a drug store while the

upper floors were utilized by numerous fraternal organizations and clubs such as the Order of Odd

Fellows, the Knights of Pythias, and the Irish National Forresters Benefit Society.2 According to

scholars Paul Rich and David Merchant, at that time, fraternal lodges played an important role in

the community, often doubling as theatres and even schools and post offices. They also asserted

lodges have been a neglected factor in considering the creation of public space.3 Newspaper

articles and advertisements confirm the Hall, complete with stage and scenery was rented for

social events since at least 1911. Such events included community meetings, celebrations, dances,

and boxing matches. It was also found the drug store once functioned as a post office.4

During the second half of the twentieth century, deindustrialization and suburbanization

contributed to the economic decline of West Philadelphia and other urban neighborhoods in

the Northeastern United States. Throughout those decades, Hawthorne Hall was owned by a

succession of Christian organizations and was used as a storefront church. In 1984, it was listed on

the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places. The entire row was listed as a significant part of

4 Historical Markers: Marker Details: Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike. Explore PA History website, ac-

cessed 8 February, 2011. http://explorepahistory.com/hmarker.php?markerId=373.

5 DiPasquale, 13-17.

6 Paul Rich and David Merchant, The Egyptian Influence on Nineteenth-Century Freemasonry (Roanoke, VA: Nine-

teenth Century Studies Association, 2001), 4.

7 DiPasquale, 16-19.



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HTTP:// DLA .LIBRA RY.UPENN .EDU/ DLA / A RCHIVES/ DETA IL.HTM L?ID=A RCHIVES_20090 1261 43

2 0 1 1

THE B LO C K : THEN & N O W


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BUILD IN G D ESC RIPTIO N


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Hawthorne Hall and its curious counterparts gracefully wrap the north intersection of

North 39th Street, Lancaster Avenue, and Hamilton Street. The blocks faades are graced with

whimsical detailing and subtle indications of unit division and interior functions.

Numbers 3839-3849 Hamilton Street, 3849-3861 Lancaster Avenue, and 431-437 North

39th Street stand shoulder to shoulder sharing common architectural detailing including cornice

caps, fenestration patterns, bays, and polychromatic brickwork. Perhaps the most distinctive feature

of the elevation of Hawthorne Halls block is its jubilant roofline, with ogee and flat gable fronts

separated by sloping pagoda roofs interspersed among more traditional flat gables.

The block is composed of nineteen individual units, each in one of three distinct styles

(pattern types A, B, or C) arranged from east to west in an A-B-B-A-A-C-A-A-B-B-A-A-C-A-A-B-B-A-A configuration.1 The majority of the block is composed of rectilinear row house units (pattern

types A and B), with ground floor commercial space and upper level apartments. Pattern type A

is notable for its exotic ogee gables and pressed metal bay windows. Pattern type B appears more

traditional in its composition of flat gables, third-story arched windows, and rectangular second-

story windows. Practical flat roofs reside behind the buildings false fronts on the row house

portions of the block (pattern type A and B). Two wedge-shaped units with wide, two-tiered gable

roofs (pattern type C) gently curve around the corners of the blocks, creating seamless transitions

onto both North 39th and Hamilton Streets.

The stepped gable of the easternmost C wedge bears an intricate terracotta plaque with

the name Hawthorne Hall. The corners of the two-tiered parapet are articulated by sphere-topped

finials. Narrow sections of pagoda style roof slopes separate C sections from the adjoining A

unit ogee gables.

Fading diaper-pattern brickwork underlines the Hawthorne Hall panel. A thin belt course

of rusticated stonework beneath the diamond patterning is met by three narrow stone keystones

which top the brick arches of the large windows below. Though currently boarded up with little

original glass remaining, wooden muntins divide the glazing. From this, a central rectangular piecesurrounded by three irregularly shaped panes is created.

Directly below the deteriorating stone sills of the three central arched windows lies a

12 Chan, 6-13.

Descriptive Analysis

Building Description


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Street by a doorway located along the eastern wall.

Carved wooden chairs, theater seats, glassware and flyers are strewn about, blanketing the

wood and partially carpeted f loor. The faded red and yellow carpet depicts a diamond and oval

motif. Large sections of it are peeled back, and it is covered in sheet rock, plaster, paint chips and

dust. Though the general layout of this room appears to have been untouched for decades, virtually

all finishes on f loor, ceiling and walls have been altered, removed, added, or have deteriorated.

To the north side of the space, a stage raised approximately four feet off the floor sits at the

narrowing portion of the buildings wedge. Though a pile of Gothic chairs and wooden theater

seats currently block the front of the stage, access to the platform is gained through a set of feeble

wooden stairs on the left. Approximately five feet in depth, the stage is framed by a rounded square

surround and paneled in faux-wood vinyl. The stage background is punctured by a large doorway

which reveals staircases behind.

The pair of walls extending outward from the stage display wainscoting at the base

topped with severely chipped paint. A simple wood cornice around three sides of the space has

clearly replaced the original cornice, as remnants of historic detailing are present on the eastern

wall. These details consist of a more intricate cove molding with a cable molding trim. Remnants

of a pressed-tin ceiling and corbel capping featuring abstract lion-like faces also appear. Simple

pilasters spanning the height of the space interrupt the side walls at a rough mid-point. The

majority of the ceiling has been removed for structural repair and reinforcement, revealing balloon

frame construction. In the center of the ceiling is a scrolled circular medallion, believed to have

been a ventilation cover.

On the south side of the building, along the street facing wall, wainscoting continues from

the side walls to the window bays and arched windows. Perpendicular to the exterior wall and

windows is a dark wood bar cabinet with a mirrored center section. This piece faces the western

wall and is separated from the main two-story space by a section of wall studs and bracing.

The double-story Hall space is interrupted by a severely degenerated mezzanine level

accessible only through a small stair stemming from the Halls main stair. The mezzanine is

precariously suspended by thin metal rods and is further supported by contemporary structural

wooden bracing above and beneath. A row of theater chairs remains on the far western portion of

the mezzanine.



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The Hawthorne Hall Annex, of pattern type A, adjoins Hawthorne Hall on its east side.

In the shared ground floor vestibule are two entrances allowing access to the Annex. To the far

right, a double entryway perpendicular to the front faade provides access to the Annexs first floor.

The other door, parallel to the faade, reveals a narrow staircase leading to the second story. Bothdoors are original.

The buildings first floor is open, lit by an arched window on the main faade and two

windows at the northeast wall. The spaces footprint appears rectangular but is quite complex in

its geometry. Walls deviate to accommodate the staircase and a heating duct, and they become

narrower in the rear third portion of the room. The west wall is partially diagonal, resulting in the

north wall being shorter than that of the main faade.

On the first floor, little original fabric remains. The northeast wall has been replaced with

CMU blocks and the ceiling removed, exposing wooden beams. The floorboards in the rear portion

have also been removed and replaced with plywood. Ghost outlineson the diagonal wall suggest

there may have been an elevated platform at one time.

The second story of the Annex shares a similar footprint as the first. Six windows

punctuate the back of the east wall and a single opening in the rear wall lets in additional light.

Two prominent features in the space are bay windows with red-painted glass on the main facade

along with a vibrant blue staircase and balustrade leading to the third story. The staircase is located

on the west wall, next to an open doorway which directly connects to the Hall.

Like the first floor, the second floor retains little original fabric. The ceiling has been

removed and floorboards have been replaced with plywood. New windows and wooden framing

have been installed on the northeast wall.1 Varied paint colors, original wallpaper remnants,

grooves in the ceiling joists, and differing lath patterns indicate former partitions.

The third story floor plate is also congruent with the first and second floors. The painted

walls, each donning a vibrant shade of red, blue, or green, are peeling, revealing the white plaster

that covers the first and second floor walls. The space is lit by two large windows on the main

faade and seven windows on the east wall.

Relative to the first and second floors, the third floor retains a substantial amount of

original fabric. The ceiling has been removed, yet the floorboards and several heating grills remain.

13 Discussions with the owner indicate that these windows were installed in the position of the original windows.



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PH O TO G RA PH S


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Photographs

BA SEM EN T3 8 4 9 LA N C A STER A V EN U E


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Photographs

SEC O N D FLO O R3 8 4 9 LA N C A STER A V EN U E


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Photographs

B A L C O N Y3 8 4 9 LA N C A STER A V EN U E


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Photographs

SEC O N D FLO O R3 8 4 9 LA N C A STER A V EN U E


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As one of two C pattern units on the block, it is worthwhile to briefly discuss the

similarities and differences between Hawthorne Hall and its twin, and the factors that indicate

the greater importance of Hawthorne Hall itself. The other unit, which is located at 3859-61

Lancaster Ave and wraps the block onto North 39th Street, is almost identical in exterior detailing

but differs greatly in interior programming. The faade is less intact than that of Hawthorne Hall,

with almost all of the decorative metalwork (including the cornices and bay windows) removed.

While both units feature identically placed terracotta panels, only Hawthorne Halls bears text;

3859 Lancasters main panel is purely figurative.

The ground floor is currently home to True Light Ministry, an active storefront church, and

the upper stories were previously rented as apartments. Like the ground floor of Hawthorne Hall,

this space is largely open, with one large room acting as the sanctuary and an adjoining, narrower

room functioning as a social and dining space. It is the only other unit on the block accessed

through two points of entry, one of which opens directly onto the sidewalk.

Like Hawthorne Hall, the second and third floors are accessed through a separate door

in the adjacent vestibule to the east. Here, the programmatic differences between the spaces are

especially noticeable. While the two-story auditorium of Hawthorne Hall takes up the entirety

of the second and third floors, the space above 3859 Lancaster has two distinct floors divided

into multiple apartments. On both the second and third floors the stairway leads to a narrow

hallway featuring a window at its north end. Two apartments on the second floor open onto this

hallway, one with one bedroom, the other with two. The room configuration of these spaces is

fairly haphazard as the walls attempt to negotiate the wedge-shaped structure. This creates odd

room configurations which sometimes intersect with the street-facing windows. The moldings

around the doors and the baseboards match those of Hawthorne Hall, indicating that at least

some of these details might be original. The most recent occupant of any of these apartments

vacated the property in 1998, with other rooms having been vacant longer. Many of the spaces have

deteriorating paint and plaster.

One can speculate that perhaps the builders believed one social hall on the block was

sufficient and that apartments would be a more profitable use of space. Whatever the differences,

the C units represent an extremely interesting and unusual solution to the common problem of

corner buildings. The choice to create a curving faade with elaborate gables at these intersections

Comparison of Hawthorne Hall and 3849-61 Lancaster Avenue



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undoubtedly made construction more difficult. However, this choice opened the units up to a

highly trafficked street, making them visible from a distance coming to or from Center City.



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A

C

B

C

C

C

HA W THO RN E HA LL C PO RTIO N N EIG HBO O RIN G C PO RTIO N


A B C PA TTERN TYPES

BLO C K PA TTERN


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REC O RD IN G STRA TEG Y

& D O C UM EN TA TIO N


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The recording strategy for Hawthorne Hall and its Annex developed with the

understanding that current documentation is not adequate for the purpose of recognizing the

sites full significance. Given the lack of existing documentation, our initial goals were broad and

all encompassing. We began with a descriptive analysis including written documentation of the

history and architecture of the site in order to convey its significance. Beyond the narrative, we

wanted to provide interior documentation before further fabric was lost. Initial documentation

tools included photography, total station, and field measurements. A conditions assessment for

the exterior was also imperative given the instability of the historically significant features. We

experimented with thermal imaging as an additional means of assessment, but these are cursory

observations and should not be taken as evaluative.

Due to the extensive needs of the project and the semesters limited timeframe,

photography became an essential component of our recording strategy. As the quickest and cheapest

tool that conveys the most information, we wanted our photographs to fully represent the building.

The range of our photographs includes context shots, facade details, room views, pictures of and

from the roof, and interior architectural details. Some initial photographic issues we encountered

dealt with challenges presented by the site itself. The south-facing facade allows abundant and harsh

sunlight into the interior, while awkwardly shaped or tight spaces limited our angles. Additionally,

clutter and dilapidated floorboards hindered stabilization of the tripod, and dust clouds muddled

the photographs. Beyond these issues, we were able to capture the expansive interior, including thebasement, with the help of Joe Elliot and additional lighting.

We utilized the total station with photo rectification software to create a scaled elevation

of the main faade, which would serve as the basis for our conditions assessment.1 However, the

curvature of the main faade made rectification accuracy extremely difficult. Due to the time

limitations of the semester, we were not able to fully correct it. However, we took several steps to

increase the level of accuracy. First, we split the facade into three parts: the curved central portion

and the two relatively flat portions to the east and west. By separating them, we were able to reach

a more reliable level of accuracy for the side elevations because they were not as curved. We werethen able to use these relatively accurate rectifications as reference for rectifying the curved portion.

Horizontal measurements taken from completed floor plans also aided by providing additional

1 The rear (north) elevation was not included, as it does not have a full view accessible for measuring with the

total station.

Recording Strategy

Recording Strategy & Documentation


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accuracy. Beyond the issues of the curved facade and rectification inaccuracies, our only other

obstacles while using the total station were traffic obstructions and vibrations.

Field measurements were taken in order to create an accurate set of drawings for an

otherwise undocumented space. This recording method proved to be difficult and tedious as the

interior space is extremely complex. 3849 Lancaster Avenue, the Hall portion, features a curved

wall, tapering footprint, and interior walls oriented at various angles. We used trilateration to

account for the unknown angles and acquire multiple points of reference with which to check

our measurements. Anticipating difficulties, we began our field notes and drawings early in the

semester, and made corrections along the way. The level of detail that we reached was dependent

upon the time that we had available.

Upon entering our field measurements into AutoCAD software, it was clear that some

were substantially inaccurate. This is attributable to various complications that we encountered

in the field, which hindered the recording process. Abundant debris, clutter, and hazardous floor

conditions obstructed access to parts of the building. Inconsistent surfaces where finishes had been

removed or deteriorated from walls, ceilings, and floors impeded the accuracy of the measurements.

There were also occasional technical complications with unfamiliar equipment. Unexpectedly, we

encountered subtly complex (non-recilinear) geometry in the Halls adjoining Annex space, adding

further challenges to our recording efforts. Throughout the semester, measurements were taken

multiple times and inconsistencies were noted on field notes.



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Simple interior and exterior observations highlight the deteriorating state of Hawthorne

Hall and its Annex. Though the current owner has spent time working to stabilize the site, there is

no concrete vision of how the space will be used and much work appears to have been conducted

without the consultation of preservation experts. Therefore, we found it imperative to conduct

detailed documentation of the site before further historical fabric was lost during the renovation

process.

Hawthorne Halls historic and architectural significance is locally recognized within

Philadelphia, as evidenced by its listing on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places. Written

in 1984, the Register nomination form fails to comprehensively define the historic attributes and

significance of the property. While it acknowledges Hawthorne Halls position as representative

of West Philadelphias 19th century development into a streetcar suburb, it only discusses such

historical attributes briefly. No indication of the structures original or subsequent functions exists,

and greater social impacts of the buildings presence within the community are largely ignored.

Rather, the form primarily concentrates on the buildings exterior elements with no description or

statement of its interior significance.

One potential explanation for the omission of the interior on the nomination form could

be the absence of historic architectural drawings and interior photographs, as well as written

documentation of the property. The Philadelphia Historical Commission keeps a small file

containing the Register nomination form, plans for wall repair, and limited historic photographs of

the exterior, which appear to be from the 1960s-80s. Historic maps including 1862 Smedley Atlas,

1895 and 1910 Bromley Atlases, 1942 and 1962 Land Use maps, and 1960 and 1980 Sanborn maps

are available at the Free Library and on philageohistory.org. The Free Library also has one large format

negative of the property from 1955. The City Archives holds the propertys chain of title but due to

numerous subdivisions, such documents are not particularly clear or easy to follow. Two research

papers, compiled in fall 2010 by University of Pennsylvania Historic Preservation graduate students

Laura DiPasquale and Rebecca Chan attempt to synthesize information on the site to provide

an overall descriptive analysis of Hawthorne Halls exterior and historical context. Much of theinformation for these papers was gathered from historical newspapers (particularly the Philadelphia

Inquirer), reverse-look up business directories, and census data.

The property has served a variety of uses over the years, most recently as a storefront church.

Presently, there is no clear vision for how the space is to be used, and therefore the buildings

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potential economic value has yet to be realized. Additionally, its market value has dropped

significantly as a result of the national housing crisis and economic recession. The current owner

does not have the funds for a full renovation and would consider selling the property if it would

prove profitable.

The Peoples Emergency Center of Lancaster Avenue (PEC) is a non-profit social services

organization which includes Hawthorne Hall in its business corridor revitalization plans. PEC aims

to work with the owner to clean and stabilize the property to make it more attractive to potential

buyers. PEC is also working with the owner to obtain grants to help fund the rehabilitation efforts.

Delay in obtaining these grants can be partially attributed to the absence of required conditions

assessments of the buildings exterior and interior, including base drawings and recordings of

architectural details. We hope this compilation will better furnish the owner with such information.

While the interior has been fully documented through drawings and photographs, the

complexity and vastness of the space has limited the scope of a conditions assessment for the

purposes of this report. Attention has therefore been focused on the facade, which is missing

significant features. A conditions report, included in this IPD, identifies areas of specific concern.

Short-term intervention projects include general cleaning of the interior and weather-

proofing strategies. The property has already been greatly damaged by water leakage through the

roof and windows. This has spurred the removal of the Halls original pressed tin ceiling in order to

patch the roof and replace select structural members. The history of vacancy and inconsistent use

has contributed to an overall state of decay. As such, some areas are difficult to access because of

unstable floors and ceilings.

Because the future use of the property is undetermined and piecemeal renovation is being

undertaken without construction plans, the remaining historic fabric is at risk of being lost. It is

the hope of this team that the provided documentation and analysis may help potential buyers

to determine a future use for the building, make efforts to obtain rehabilitation funding through

grants, and recognize the value in maintaining historically and architecturally significant features of

the property.



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REFLEC TIO N S


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Throughout the last decade, Lancaster Avenue has experienced a surge in revitalization,

particularly along the section adjacent to Drexel University. Many new businesses have opened

including restaurants, cafes, art galleries, dance and yoga studios, a bicycle repair shop, and a hair

salon. These new businesses, coupled with a budding civic culture, have transformed the corridor

into a local destination. Investment continues to proceed westward but it has yet to progress past

the 3700 block.

We are certainly not alone in our interest in Hawthorne Hall. During our visits to the site,

several residents of the surrounding neighborhood stopped to question us about our work and to

offer their thoughts about and preferences for its adaptive reuse. These passersby, who vary in age,

gender and ethnicity, were excited to see active work at the site as it functions as a neighborhood

landmark and point of curiosity. While these residents are far from a representative sample, the

general consensus seems to be that the buildings central positioning would make it ideal for an

active use that would appeal to the diverse population of the community.

New Beginnings in Christ Ministry, Inc. is adeqately equipped to complete small-scale

stabilization of the site but lacks the ability to accomplish a complete rehabilitation given its current

state. In order for proper rehabilitation and reuse to occur, the organization would likely need to

sell the building for a reasonable price to a development entity. That entity would be positioned

to apply for a number of financial incentives, including the federal tax credit and the Preservation

Alliance of Philadelphias Vital Neighborhoods Initiative grant.

The structures size, complex program, and poor condition make rehabilitation and reuse

challenging, yet there is a great deal of potential in the remaining architectural fabric. For the

University of Pennsylvania course HSPV 625 Economics of Historical Preservation, one group of

students examined the feasibility of use as a live-work arts facility and caf. In their program, the

artists apartments and studios, would be located on the second and third floors of the Annex, the

gallery and performance space in the hall, and the caf in the former drug store space.

Most recently, a medical supply company based out of New York expressed interest inleasing both units ground f loors. Within the past two months, representatives from that company,

including an architect, have visited the site.

Attitudes and Possible Uses

Reflections


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We recommend that future rehabilitation respect and retain as much of the existing fabric

as possible. The character defining facade is stable, requiring only the securing of exposed portions

and replacement of lost features. The brick does not require repointing, and the building exterior

can remain as it is, save a few replacement windows and detail replacement/repainting where

necessary.

The interior features, and particularly the stage, are at the greatest risk of being

lost. Therefore, we recommend consideration of uses that are compatible with the existing

configuration. A complete glossary of historic finishes and details have been included in this report

should the owner or future contractor wish to replicate any historic elements.

Given the extensive difficulties encountered during the hand measuring process, we also

caution all measurements to be verified in field. Should time or money permit, we feel the most

accurate way to capture the structures exact form and measurements would be through laster

scanning.

Recommendations

Reflections


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The Hawthorne Hall Integrated Project Dossier represents the culmination of more than a

semester of research, field survey, computer work, and countless hours of thoughtful consideration.

Although our group has done as much as possible in the time given, we recognize that one

semester was not nearly enough time to capture all we would have liked about this previously

undocumented site. We hope our work will provide a strong starting point for further research and

documentation, and aid in the successful rehabilitation of this exceptional building set.

Throughout its history, Hawthorne Hall has adapted to suit the needs of the community

as a social hall, drug store, and storefront church. It is evident from the buildings deliberate

positioning, intricate detailing and unique programming that its original developers were fully

aware the building and its block would make a resounding impact on the community. Although

changing economic tides left the structure largely vacant and deteriorating in recent years, the

overall integrity of the Hawthorne Hall block is intact and contributes to the appearance and feel of

its West Philadelphia neighborhood. Given the chance, this once vibrant, enigmatic building can

once again play a role in the 21st century West Philadelphia life.

Conclusion

Reflections

DiPasquale SiteAnalysis

Documents