Insider Touring

by Amy L. Webb

Ever wonder how the nation’s oldest continually running opera house maintains its original charm? What about carpet and cornice restoration in historic buildings?

The Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia, a nonprofit building-preservation advocacy group, will offer tours of historic properties either recently renovated or in the process of restoration.

The tours, which will take place during the first part of May, will be led by the restoration architects and designers who worked on each project. Each tour will only be held once and times vary.

"This is a great opportunity for anyone interested in preservation, architecture and interior design to learn from the very architects who are now experts on these buildings," says Pippa Scott Liebert, director of special events at the Preservation Alliance. "These people have worked on the restoration from conception through completion. They've looked at the original blueprints, analyzed how the building fell into disrepair using historical documents, and managed to re-create the building into its original state."

This is a rare opportunity to hear experts speak candidly about design and restoration hurdles, securing materials, and building preservation in general, Liebert says. There are five buildings included in this year's program. The Mother Divine House will feature forensic architect Robert Skaler and architectural historian George Thomas on tours through two late-19th-century homes, located at 1430 N. Broad St. and 1530 N. 16th St. The Academy of Vocal Arts, a historic Furness building, will host a private reception and exclusive behind-the-scenes tour. The Boyd Theater at 1908 Chestnut St. will offer a tour led by preservation activist Howard Haas. This will be the first public showing of the movie theater's restoration process, from disrepair back to its original art deco design.

Architect Joseph Powell will lead a tour through the Blue Horizon and highlight the massive restoration project of this boxing arena. And an exclusive look into the Academy of Music will be offered by restoration architects Nan Gutterman and Hyme Myers and the Academy's front-of-house manager, Maureen Lynch.

"We offer these tours of important Philadelphia buildings for a few reasons," Liebert says. "First, it highlights what can be achieved with time, money and dedication. The city has many significant historic sites, and sometimes they get overlooked. Second, it's a great educational tool for architecture, design and preservation enthusiasts. This is a hands-on chance to learn about the fabric of Philadelphia."

Tours last one to two hours, cost between $10 and $80 and are held throughout the week. Reservations are required. For more information, see www.preservationalliance.com.

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