WMAN Historic Preservation Initiative
Our vision:
The WMAN Historic Preservation Initiative champions the economic, environmental, and community benefits of preserving our historic places.
As one of the most diverse and desirable neighborhoods in Philadelphia, West Mt. Airy faces the constant tension between historic preservation and development. The historic preservation team champions the economic, environmental, and community benefits of saving our historic places, while still recognizing the need to support managed growth and development in our community.
Our goal:
The goal of WMAN Historic Preservation Initiative is to identify and protect our historic built heritage for the future.
About:
A group of dedicated neighbors meets regularly to strategize and take action in support of Mt. Airy’s historic built environment. Formed in 2022, this committee has successfully prepared multiple nominations for the historic designation of individual buildings and thematic districts, which have been accepted and added to the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places. In addition, HPI has organized house care workshops and house tours, and regularly shares details on the historic buildings in our neighborhood in local publications.
For more information, or to get involved with our historic preservation initiatives, please contact us at wmanhpi@gmail.com.
Latest News:
New Report Released!
A new report by PlaceEconomics for the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia was released in November 2025. Its purpose is to quantify the impact of historic preservation on neighborhood diversity, housing affordability, and building investment. Read it here:
Growing Through Preservation: The Economic Impact of Historic Preservation in Philadelphia
Community Conversations: Pelham Historic District
The Pelham neighborhood in West Mt Airy is a planned development that was founded in 1893 on land that formerly made up the estate of George Carpenter. Developers Herman Wendell and Willard Bassett Smith hired architects who would become some of the most respected and well-known Philadelphia architects of the early twentieth century to design houses for the Pelham neighborhood.
Many of these houses still exist today. What would it mean for this neighborhood to be historically designated?
WMAN has held multiple community conversations on this topic. For more information including meeting artifacts (slides and notes) and questions from the community, click the link below.
Historic Preservation: What is it and why does it matter?
Historic preservation aims to protect historic resources both now and for the future. This is often realized through the process of historic designation, which is when a building(s) or other historic resource is placed on an official list (the “Register”) and is regulated by an authorized body. There are different Registers at the local and nation levels, each offering different benefits and different levels of protection.
There are many studied benefits for preservation, broadly encompassing economic and environmental concerns, as well as quality of life/sense of place.
Old House Care
Old houses were generally built with high quality materials that last many years, and can repaired rather than replaced. However, many home owners and even contractors are not familiar with maintenance and repair methods. The following information has been gathered from several Old House Care workshops that HPI has offered, and can help home owners with DIY maintenance and repairs or even just have a more informed conversation with a contractor.
Did you know?
Sadie T.M. Alexander House
700 Westview St
Constructed: 1915
Architectural Style: Tudor Revival, early 20th Century
This home is historically significant and it is on the Philadelphia Historic Register of Historic Places due to its association with Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander (1898-1989) and her husband Raymond Pace Alexander (1897-1974). The Alexanders were political activists in education, law and civil rights, locally and nationally…
Read about this and other West Mt. Airy properties HERE
Consider supporting the ongoing efforts of the Historic Preservation Initiative
