The miracle is this – the more we share, the more we have. – Leonard Nimoy
On an overcast Saturday at the Lombard Central Presbyterian Church in West Philadelphia, PennDesign students and area residents gathered together to learn, practice and volunteer. Restoring Buildings, Rebuilding Communities is the name of the Social Impact Project organized by historic preservation students and chosen by PennPraxis to receive grant funds to make a difference in the community.
Using the church building as an outdoor classroom, the students and skilled professionals taught interested homeowners easy methods of home repair. By making the education process a hands-on experience, folks were able not only to see a demonstration of a particular technique, but also attempt small repairs themselves and ask questions of the knowledgeable professionals. These tools and techniques can be applied to their own houses, many constructed of the same brick and at the same time as the church building. Moreover, wood window restoration was another topic that the professionals were able to address.
This congregation, founded in 1844 by a former slave has been in this location since 1940, but the building dates to 1873 and the suburban development of West Philadelphia. Designed by architect Addison Hutton as a Quaker meeting house, the building has been a fixture in this neighborhood for over 140 years. It has been expanded by the Presbyterians and today is led by Pastor Anna Grant.
Like many congregations today, Lombard is facing the maintenance challenges associated with its aging building. As historic preservation students, we understand the perception that repairs are costly and require skilled professional labor in order to fix even the smallest problem. However, we know many treatments that can be applied to older homes by homeowners require only a little education and the right tools.
The day’s event would not have been possible without the generous support of a number of local organizations and businesses. The West Philadelphia Tool Library provided most of the tools and worked closely in partnership with PennPraxis to make the event a success. We were able to hold a drawing for several free annual memberships to the Tool Library, meaning lucky attendees have one less hurdle to jump in maintaining their own houses.
Additionally, LimeWorks generously donated masonry cleaning products and mortar mix components. The cleaning and repointing of brick are two common issues that area homeowners face in a classic Philadelphia rowhouse.
Corner Bakery, at 38th and Market Streets, kindly provided breakfast and lunch to the volunteers and participants. This allowed everyone involved to informally gather to discuss information shared, ask further questions, and meet neighbors.
The event was a tremendous success, with many neighbors staying for both the masonry and wood window sessions. The student volunteers were able to tackle tree trimming and yard cleanup, as well as more general cleaning of the brick and marble porch. A few church elders commented on the improved appearance of the church and their gratitude for the work done on it. Charlotte Castle, the Executive Director of the West Philadelphia Tool Library mentioned that she was able to connect with many neighbors and hear their stories, and conversely, share the mission of the Tool Library. She said, “today definitely reminded me why I love Philadelphia.”
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