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BREAKING NEWS: Boyd Named One of America’s Most Endangered / Rally This Thursday, May 22 @ 11:30am
posted by
Ross Melnick
on
May 20, 2008 at 3:38 pm
PHILADELPHIA, PA — The National Trust for Historic Preservation has listed the Boyd Theatre as one of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. The Trust has just released their annual list of the nation’s most endangered building and added the Boyd to the list. In their estimation:
Boyd Theatre, Philadelphia, Pa. — Philadelphia’s last surviving downtown movie palace—a masterpiece of Art Deco design—faces an uncertain future as it sits vacant and remains vulnerable to demolition, awaiting a preservation-minded buyer to return the vintage venue to its original grandeur.
This is only the second Philadelphia site to be added to the list (the other was Independence National Historical Park). Howard B. Haas, President of the Friends of the Boyd stated, “The National Trust listing verifies what Friends of the Boyd have said all along – the Boyd Theatre must be saved, restored, and reopened for entertainment.”
A rally is scheduled for this Thursday, May 22 beginning at 11:30 AM in front of the theater, located at 1908 Chestnut. All Cinema Treasures users are urged to attend and show their support for this irreplaceable theater. According to Friends of the Boyd:
- Adrian Fine of the National Trust for Historic Preservation will speak on why the National Trust included the Boyd Theatre on this important list.
- John Gallery of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia will speak on why the Alliance included the Boyd Theatre in their 2008 Endangered Property List.
- State Representative Babette Josephs, will speak on why the community deserves a reopened Boyd Theatre.
- Howard B. Haas, President of the Friends of the Boyd will speak, summarizing what needs to be done to ensure that the Boyd Theatre is restored and reopened instead of being demolished or altered.
Most important will be your joining our rally!
Thanks to Howard Haas for the information.[pre][/pre]
Comments (1)
Philadelphia is going through extremely tough times right now when it comes to any sort of historic preservation. And it’s now to the point that you could accurately call what’s happening here war. For all kinds of laws are being broken to carry on this tremendous historic onslaught, ranging from the U.S. Constitution on down to the city of Philadelphia’s Home Rule Charter, by city and state government officials. And it’s gotten to the point that one has to wonder if “treason” is even still a word anymore. Hard to believe this is happening in what happens to be the most historic city in the U.S. Or — as this pattern continues — at least it was.
With each new onslaught, and the casualty list has now gotten quite long — with Northeast Philadelphia’s historic Burholme Park currently in the process of being slaughtered — it is wondered which one will finally mark the turning point for the better. Burholme Park, for those of you who don’t know, is the highest point in Northeast Philadelphia overlooking Center City, and is where Union troops had stationed back when it became known the Confederate Army was planning to attack Pennsylvania but it wasn’t known where they were planning to strike. With Burholme Park playing a major role in protecting Philadelphia, the Confederates attacked York and Gettysburg instead. Sadly, Philadelphia is not so lucky this time.
And with so much having been lost already, and with Burholme Park currently in the process of being lost — and 100% ILLEGALLY, please note — it’s now come down to the Boyd. Will the Boyd be the turning point we’re looking for? For historic Valley Forge Battlefield just outside the city at this moment is being groomed for a big attack, and there’s not even so much as a whimper there.
Still, it is hoped that the May 22, 2008 rally to be held in front of the Boyd will be the “Finest Hour” moment that Philadelphia so badly needs right now. I sure hope so! Stay tuned…