Structural issues close building with museum

A Germantown building that houses a museum devoted to African American veterans of World War II was ordered closed yesterday because of a bulging and unstable exterior brick wall.

The three-story building that houses the Aces Museum was closed by the Department of Licenses and Inspections because the wall poses a structural safety hazard.

"There is a concern that it could collapse," said Eileen Evans, deputy commissioner of L&I.

Althea Hankins, a physician, owns the building at Germantown Avenue and Price Street and operates a family medical practice there. Hankins said the second and third floors, which house the nonprofit Aces Museum, were ordered closed by L&I in May. She said yesterday's order called for the closure of the entire building, including the medical office on the first floor. The building is to remain closed until repairs are made, she said.

Hankins built the 3,000-square-foot museum to tell stories of black servicemen. It features photographs, military uniforms, medals and other artifacts. Admission was free.

On the third floor is a ballroom, known as Parker Hall, which researchers at the Germantown Historical Society said was used as a night club and USO-type facility for black soldiers during World War II.

Repairing the brick wall will cost between $15,000 and $40,000, said Hankins, adding that it would cost $7,000 to shore up the wall enough to allow the reopening of the building.

Evans said L&I ordered Hankins in May to have the wall shored up and to produce an engineer's report every two weeks until the repairs were completed. Hankins did not comply, Evans said.

"We're trying to raise the money to fix it," Hankins said.

She said she had applied for a historic preservation grant from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission that would help cover the cost of repairs, but that such grants are issued in September.