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City Councilman Says It's High Time Philadelphia Takes Stock Of All Historic Buildings In The City

By Mike Dunn

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Thousands of Philadelphia buildings are deemed historic by federal officials, but not at the local level and a City Councilman now wants that to change.

Councilman Jim Kenney has introduced a bill calling for a review all properties in the city on the national historic registry that are not on the Philadelphia historic registry.

"If it's germane enough to be on the national registry, then I believe it should be on the (city's) historic registry."

Officials at the city's Historical Commission confirm that buildings on the federal registry but not on the city's registry number in the thousands. Kenney believes many deserve local historic certification to better protect them from demolition or wholesale changes.

"Many times when people want to demolish or alter a building of historic significance, unless its on the Philadelphia registry, the Historic(al) Commission has no jurisdiction. You look at trying to save a building, or save an interior. If it's not on the Philadelphia registry, there's very little you can do."

Under Kenney's plan, the review would be carried out by the staff of the Historical Commission. He says extra fees would help pay for extra staffing for the always under-staffed Commission.

Those fees cannot by law be earmarked for a particular department, but Kenney hopes future mayors would boost the Commission's funding.

"Maybe this mayor won't -- I don't know if he will in the next budget, but hopefully the next mayor will."

Kenney's plan will be debated in committee.

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