Our friends at the Mt. Airy CDC are presenting a series of talks focusing on Historic Mt. Airy.

Philadelphia’s construction boom is well into its second decade, with a growing skyline and transforming neighborhoods all over the city. That boom has reached its way into Mt. Airy, and the picturesque neighborhood as famous for its blend of architecture and nature as its history of diversity and inclusion is experiencing growth at a faster pace than in decades.

With Philly’s growth comes pressure on its historic assets, especially notable in a city known for its history — and especially pronounced after being named a “World Heritage City” in 2016. A number of historic buildings have met (or are still meeting) the wrecking ball: The Boyd Theatre, Mount Sinai Hospital, the quintet of buildings on Jewelers Row…

Oscar Beisert has done his best to preserve Philadelphia’s historic integrity. He has written the nominations for dozens of buildings now on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places, he has served on the Mayor’s Historic Preservation Task Force — and he lives here in the Northwest. Oscar’s talk will provide an overview of the state of historic preservation in Philadelphia, and turn an eye specifically to Mt. Airy and Northwest Philadelphia.