Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia

06/06/2026

The bridge, designed by the esteemed French-born Philadelphia architect Paul Philippe Cret, may have newfound importance, but a rescue isn’t on the way anytime soon. 🔗: https://ebx.sh/o1NRnV

06/05/2026

This Pride Month, we celebrate the places, stories, and people that make up Philadelphia’s LGBTQ+ history.

As explored in our Summer 2025 Extant feature, "Stories of Pride That Won’t Be Erased," preserving LGBTQ+ history requires more than saving buildings. It means documenting communities, supporting archives, commemorating pivotal events, and ensuring that the stories of LGBTQ+ Philadelphians remain visible in our public memory.

At a time when these histories are being removed, challenged, or overlooked, preservation remains a powerful tool for ensuring that these stories endure.
LGBTQ+ history is Philadelphia history. Read more:

Through archives, markers, art, and activism, members of Philadelphia’s LGBTQIA+ community are still fighting to preserve their stories and their place in American life

06/03/2026

UPDATE: Today’s Philadelphia City Council Rules Committee hearing DID NOT include Bill No 251030, which would amend the historic preservation ordinance. The bill sponsor, CM Squilla, surprised the room by announcing he would hold the bill for further deliberation.

Thank you to the numerous preservation supporters who attended the meeting and planned to speak in opposition! It goes a long way to demonstrate the importance of our historic built environment.

We look forward to continued conversations about ways to improve, not weaken, the city’s preservation program and hope that will include a citywide resource survey, tiered historic districts, and other preservation incentives.

Bill No. 251030 will be heard by City Council’s Rules Committee on June 3 at 2 PM. While revised, the bill still introduces major changes that would weaken protections for historic buildings and neighborhoods, allowing alterations during the nomination process, adding procedural barriers, and limiting future reconsideration.

This hearing will determine whether the bill moves forward to a full City Council vote.

We need your help. Contact your Councilmember, sign up to testify, and make your voice heard. Learn more: https://conta.cc/49GIevj

06/01/2026

Please join us in celebrating 10 years of Paul Steinke’s leadership! Since becoming Executive Director in 2016, the Alliance has expanded its advocacy, educational programming, and community partnerships, ensuring that preservation remains a vital part of conversations about planning, development, and neighborhood identity.

Paul’s connection to the Alliance dates back to 1996 when he served as a founding member of our Board of Directors. Over the past three decades, he has been a steadfast champion for the places, stories, and communities that make the Greater Philadelphia region special.

Thank you, Paul, for your many years of leadership and dedication!

06/01/2026

Founded in 1889, The Racquet Club of Philadelphia has long been a center for athletics, social life, and tradition. The clubhouse is home to an extraordinary collection of historic sporting spaces, including the nation’s first indoor above-grade swimming pool and one of the few places in the world where court tennis, the medieval predecessor to modern tennis, is still played today.
Blending historic architecture with active club life, the Racquet Club continues to preserve traditions that have nearly disappeared elsewhere.

Explore this remarkable space during Philly’s Historic Social Clubs Unveiled on June 14: https://preservationalliance.givecloud.co/product/26D41FC/phillys-historic-social-clubs-unveiled-on-june-14

05/29/2026

Don't miss this original living history production for the Poquessing Trail of History on June 6!

05/28/2026

Take action to protect Philadelphia’s historic preservation ordinance before the Rules Committee hearing next Wednesday, June 3! Use our new advocacy toolkit for talking points, contact information for City Council, and instructions for signing up to testify in opposition to Bill No. 251030.
Take action now:https://preservationalliance.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Action-Center-for-Bill-No-251030.pdf

Bill No. 251030 will be heard by City Council’s Rules Committee on June 3 at 2 PM. While revised, the bill still introduces major changes that would weaken protections for historic buildings and neighborhoods, allowing alterations during the nomination process, adding procedural barriers, and limiting future reconsideration.

This hearing will determine whether the bill moves forward to a full City Council vote.

We need your help. Contact your Councilmember, sign up to testify, and make your voice heard. Learn more: https://conta.cc/49GIevj

05/27/2026

05/27/2026

We’re one week away from the 2026 Preservation Achievement Awards! These Grand Jury Award winners show what’s possible when preservation is done with care, craft, and deep respect for history.

Be part of the celebration on Wednesday, June 3, from 4:30–8:00 PM at Vie.

Tickets are still on sale:
https://preservationalliance.givecloud.co/paa-2026-ticket-purchases-jghhtssc9

05/26/2026

Tucked along South Camac Street, long known as Philadelphia’s “Street of Clubs,” two institutions helped shape the city’s artistic and cultural life while creating space for generations of artists to gather, work, and exchange ideas.

Founded in 1860, The Philadelphia Sketch Club is the oldest continuously operating artists’ organization in the United States. Generations of artists passed through its doors, while its remarkable archives preserve more than a century and a half of American artistic life.

Just steps away, The Plastic Club was established in 1897 by women artists seeking opportunities and community at a time when many existing clubs excluded them. More than a century later, both clubs remain active centers for creativity, conversation, and cultural life in Philadelphia.

Explore these historic spaces during Philly’s Historic Social Clubs Unveiled on June 14: https://preservationalliance.givecloud.co/product/26D41FC/phillys-historic-social-clubs-unveiled-on-june-14