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Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Legislation To Save Boyd Interior On Hold Till Fall
The Boyd Theater [AP]

City Council's Rules Committee this afternoon endorsed legislation that would allow the Philadelphia Historical Commission to preserve not just the exteriors of historically significant buildings but the interiors as well.  But that's all the action that legislation will see until after Council's summer recess ends in September.

Councilman Bill Green introduced the legislation with an eye toward the Boyd Theater, opened in 1928 with a stunning art deco interior but long since closed and in danger of demolition.  The chairman and executive director of the Historical Commission told Council today that they support Green's legislation in concept but that their board had not voted on whether to take a position on the issue.  The City Planning Commission also hasn't voted on the matter.

That prompted Councilman Frank DiCicco to suggest holding the legislation unless someone could cite a building interior that faced imminent doom. "I would suggest we take the summer to just figure this all out," DiCicco said.

Green pushed for action. "With the Boyd up for sale once again and the future treatment of our other treasured spaces uncertain, I think we need to move on this legislation," he said.  But Green accepted the committee's move to approve the legislation without a suspension of Council's rules, which means it can't be approved by the full Council before the start of the summer recess after June 19.

Posted by Chris Brennan @ 7:06 PM  Permalink | 2 comments
Comments   
Posted 11:49 PM, 06/11/2008
HowardBHaas
Thanks to Councilman Green for his hard work! Howard B. Haas President, Friends of the Boyd, Inc. www.FriendsOfTheBoyd.org
Posted 03:20 AM, 06/13/2008
sariajacobs2000
This theatre really is a treasure and should be saved. It's unfortunate that the last real movie house in Philly could be going the way of so many others....I fear that the delay (without an injunction of sale) could mean that any legislation may just be too late...
2 comments
About Chris Brennan and Catherine Lucey
PhillyClout
Chris Brennan, a native Philadelphian and graduate of Temple University, joined the Daily News in 1999. He has written about SEPTA, the Philadelphia School District, the legalization of casino gambling, state government, the mayor, the governor, City Council and political campaigns.

Catherine Lucey joined the Daily News in 2002. Since then she has written about murderous drug gangs, political protesters and Harry Potter. For the past two years, she covered the 2007 mayoral election. Now that the battle is over, she has moved down to the City Hall bureau where she will report on the Nutter administration.

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Catherine Lucey
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