Boyd Theatre Added to Philadelphia Register of Historic Places
Historic Movie Palace Closed in 2002
The Philadelphia Historical Commission recently voted to add the Boyd Theatre to the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places.
An overflow, standing room crowd of about 70 people attended. When asked to stand if they supported the nomination, they all stood!
Testifying in favor were John Gallery (who as chair of the Preservation Alliance filed the nomination), Howard B. Haas for Friends of the Boyd, Gersil Kay of Building Conservation International, Adrian Fine of the National Trust for Historic Places (which this year included the Boyd on its list of the 11 most endangered buildings in America), Dr. David Brownlee of the University of Pennsylvania, and Shawn Evans, AIA, co-chair of the AIA Philadelphia Historic Preservation Committee.
Designation of the Boyd means that the building’s exterior is legally protected from demolition or alteration. Today’s decision was a landmark reversal of the 2002 denial. Today’s action means that the City of Philadelphia has done the right thing in taking this step! It does not mean the plywood on the facade comes down and the Boyd magically reopens, with its ornate Art Deco exterior and interior restored for public entertainment. There’s more work to do!
For more information on the Boyd Theatre, visit www.FriendsOfTheBoyd.org
