Here’s a Sneak Peek at Auction Items
For the Architectural Hall of Fame Celebration!
The online auction is open for this year’s virtual Celebration (the Conservancy’s only fundraiser for 2021) and runs through Sunday, May 23rd. The auction’s online format is open to all, even if you can’t join us for the celebration. Here’s a look at some of this year’s carefully curated auction items!
Dinner at the Esherick House
A Dantastic feast celebrating the history of Chestnut Hill!
An unforgettable evening awaits you and five guests as you enjoy a private tour and dinner hosted by Paul Savidge and Dan Macey, at their iconic home, The Margaret Esherick house, designed by architect Louis Kahn.
Your delectable dinner will be prepared by Macey, a culinary historian who creates mouthwatering food for commercial advertising photography through his company Dantastic Food. The menu for the evening will be inspired by the cultural history of Chestnut Hill and feature foods celebrating the diverse communities who have settled in our neighborhood.
Bring Bloom Where You Are Planted Into Your Home!
Photos from Emilie Lapham and Paul Meyer
Since last spring, Paul Meyer and Emilie Lapham have helped us take advantage and find joy in nature through their respective monthly columns, “Tree of the Month” and “A Gardener’s World.”
Now, each has offered photographs highlighting some of the beauty to be found in things great and small in our community. 
Learn more about Emilie’s photographs and Paul’s photographs and bid now! 
Don’t forget, anyone can support the Conservancy’s online auction!
  1. Visit https://www.32auctions.com/users/new to create your account. (Make sure you add noreply@32auctions.com to your email contacts so you receive all notifications!)
  2. Once you’ve created your account, visit https://www.32auctions.com/chc2021 on the device you will use for bidding. You will see a red button labeled View All Items below the virtual celebration logo. Click this button to see all auction items available for bidding or check out the featured items on the main page!
NOTE: There is no downloadable mobile app or text bidding feature. Instead, the 32auctions site is completely mobile-friendly. Simply view the auction on your device (phone, tablet, etc) using any browser.
Questions about the sign-up or bidding process? Email heather@chconservancy.org and we’ll be happy to help!
Tickets Still Available…
Be There for the Big Reveal!
Join Master of Ceremonies and architectural historian George McNeely on Saturday, May 22 at 7 pm for an evening celebrating the places, spaces, and landscapes that are at the heart of our irreplaceable community. The program includes the Hall of Fame’s 2021 finalists and unveils the newest inductees–chosen by you!
We’re also thrilled to share a behind-the-scenes tour of Louis Kahn’s Esherick House (a 2015 AHoF inductee) to celebrate the 120th anniversary of his birth, introduced by his son, filmmaker Nathaniel Kahn!
Tickets at all levels are still available! Please join us for this exciting program and support our only fundraising event this year.
If you’ve already purchased a ticket, thank you! We hope you’ll share this with your neighbors and can’t wait to see you on May 22nd!
Are You Familiar With our Past Inductees?
This year’s winners will join this storied list!
Chestnut Hill is among the nation’s most architecturally distinguished communities, home to outstanding examples of architecture from three centuries. The Architectural Hall of Fame is a distinguished list of Chestnut Hill’s most treasured significant buildings, structures, and landscapes, chosen by the public. These properties represent groundbreaking approaches to planning and design; are significant for their design, materials, craftsmanship; or as an exceptional example of their style, or are of historic significance because of an association with an event, a person, or by virtue of age. Thousands of public votes were cast to induct these treasures onto the Hall of Fame.
2019 Inductees
  • Houston Sauveur House – 8205 Seminole St. (1885; Hewitt Brothers for H. H. Houston, Architects)
  • Chestnut Hill Free Library – 8711 Germantown Ave (ca. 1897-1907; Cope and Stewardson, Architects)
2018 Inductees
  • Half Moon Houses – 7919 – 7925 Lincoln Drive (1916; Duhring, Okie and Ziegler, Architects)
  • Water Tower Recreation Center Complex – 209 E. Hartwell La (1889, 1919, Robert McGoodwin, Architect)
2016 Inductees
  • Morris Arboretum – Meadowbrook and Hillcrest Aves. (19th-21st centuries; many notable architects)
  • Church of St. Martin-in-the Fields – 8000 St. Martin’s Lane (1895; G. W. and W. D. Hewitt, Architects)
  • Krisheim – 700 block McCallum St. (1910-12; Peabody and Stearns, Olmsted Brothers Architects)
  • 614 St. Andrews – 6oo block St. Andrew’s Rd (2013; Elie-Antoine Atallah, Architect)
2015 Inductees
  • Thomas Mill Covered Bridge – Forbidden Drive, Wissahickon (Originally Built 1731)
  • Margaret Esherick House – 200 block, Sunrise Lane (1960-61, 1963; Louis I. Kahn, Architect)
  • Vanna Venturi House – 8300 block, Millman Street (1963, Robert Venturi, Architect)
See the whole list of Inductees and descriptions HERE.
Discovering Chestnut Hill: WPA Structures in the Wissahickon
Virtual Lecture on June 2
Virtual Presentation on Zoom
Wednesday, June 2, 7pm
During the Great Depression, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) funded a three-phase project to improve the Wissahickon Valley. One of many WPA projects in Fairmount Park, this particular work included the construction of outbuildings along the Wissahickon Creek including shelters, guardboxes, comfort stations, and concession stands.
Join architect Kate Cowing to learn more about the history, restoration, and reuse of these structures and the WPA’s legacy in the Wissahickon Valley Park. This virtual lecture is co-sponsored by Friends of the Wissahickon.
Kate Cowing, AIA, is an architectural conservator and principal of Kate Cowing Architect, LLC (wbe). Her graduate school thesis, “The Analysis and Restoration of the WPA Outbuildings in the Wissahickon Valley,” is the basis for this illustrated lecture.
Tickets: $10/CH Conservancy or FOW members, $20/non-members
Discovering Chestnut Hill is presented with support from John B. Ward & Co.
Were you forwarded this email?
Sign up to get Conservancy updates sent to your inbox!
  • May 18th, CHCA Development Review Committee Meeting, 7:00pm. Register for this Zoom meeting and see submissions HERE
  • As a Philadelphia Registered Community Organization, the Conservancy’s Historic District Advisory Committee holds a seat on CHCA’s Development Review Committee
  • Current Agenda
  • 540 W. Moreland Ave (Keewaydin) – Variance request for subdivision of one lot into two; 
  • 215 E. Evergreen Ave – Variance request for erection of semi-detached single home on existing lot; 
  • 8224 Germantown Ave – Preliminary review for demolition of existing single-family home and new construction (note – the project has not yet been submitted to the city)
  • May 22 – Architectural Hall of Fame Celebration
  • June 2 – Discovering Chestnut Hill Virtual Lecture
  • June 3 – Historic District Advisory Committee Public Meeting 6:30pm REGISTER HERE for the Zoom link to attend
Thank You!
Sponsors and supporters are community champions. Your support now will continue our work
in the coming year!
2021 CHESTNUT HILL CONSERVANCY LEAD SPONSOR
2021 CHESTNUT HILL CONSERVANCY GENERAL SPONSORS
2021 CHESTNUT HILL CONSERVANCY PROGRAM SPONSORS
Always feel free to contact us with any questions about the Conservancy, our programs and events, or your membership at info@chconservancy.org
Chestnut Hill Conservancy | 8708 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19118