As the Wissahickon neighborhood continues to grow, the community members are working together in an effort to preserve its historic character, writes Jake Blumgart for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The community group Wissahickon Interested Citizens Association is leading the initiative to create a historic district for the neighborhood.

Some progress was recorded earlier this fall when a one-year demolition moratorium was passed by Councilmember Curtis Jones Jr. The decision ensures that property owners cannot demolish older homes while the historic district undergoes the approval process.

“We have to look at smart development,” said Jones in an October interview. “There is so much history that gets blown away with demolition. So, let’s hit pause.”

If a historic district is approved next year by the Historical Commission, it would ensure that the neighborhood’s venerable housing stock is preserved by making it harder for property owners to demolish older structures.

However, some critics believe this would affect new development in a neighborhood that is currently in high demand.

Joshua Castaño, a historic preservationist who moved to Wissahickon in 2020, disagrees.

“A historic district is not about freezing a neighborhood,” he said. “ It’s about maintaining character.”

He sees Wissahickon as exactly the kind of place that historic districts are meant for.

Read more about Wissahickon’s preservation efforts at The Philadelphia Inquirer.

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