Bunting House Demolition Sparks Call to Action

When developers demolished the Bunting House last winter members of the community became incensed.

Petitions were filed.  Appeals were made.

Roxborough resident Bob Spear was a part of those efforts, and when the Bunting House was finally demolished he saw it as a call to action.

“We need to stop being reactive,” Spear said.  “When I walk around the neighborhood I think to myself, ‘which one of these homes is going to be the next one.  Which one of these homes is going to be the next Bunting House?’”

So, Spear did what any good resident does.  He started to organize.

On Wednesday, residents from both Roxborough and Manayunk gathered at Journey’s Way to discuss historical preservation.

“We need to help preserve the neighborhood,” Spear said.  “We need to plan for the future.” 

Patrick Hauck works for the Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia, and he spoke about the importance of having a neighborhood recognized as a historic place.

“It helps give residents a sense of place,” Hauck said.  “It provides a link to the past, and provides a sense of identity.”

Hauck went on to say that getting a building or neighborhood on the national registry doesn’t guarantee preservation, but it creates an extra layer.

“Owners of historical buildings can do whatever they want with them 99 percent of the time,” Hauck said.  “But it allows residents to pressure developers.  It creates an awareness.”

Cory Kegerise of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission put it another way.

“It helps document the value of a neighborhood,” Kegerise said.  “It helps document what’s important.”

Both Kegerise and Hauck said that Roxborough and Manayunk have a good chance at becoming a historic district.

“Usually to become a historic district a place has to have significance and integrity,” Kegerise said.

He then went onto describe how Manayunk’s development as a mill town gives the area both.

“What you have is a mill town where the workers lived in Manayunk.  You have a lot of immigrant workers proven by the amount of Catholic churches and the row homes,” Kegerise said.

“Then, as you move up the hill into Roxborough you have the homes of the mills’ middle-management and upper-management.  That’s why you see more single-family homes and protestant churches.”

Spear went on to say that he will be working over the summer on an application to get the historical designation.

“I’m going to need help,” Spear said.  “I also can’t do this if the community doesn’t want it.”

For more information click here for the Roxborough Preservation Effort Facebook page.