The Philadelphia Historical Commission is investigating allegations that work being done at the Knights of Pythias Greenwood Cemetery is being done without proper permits. The Historical Properties committee at the Historical Society of Frankford raised the issue in response to neighbors concerns. The cemetery appearance has improved greatly over the last two years, However the issue is the historical significance of the property and its preservation.
Response from the Historical Commission:
I visited the site myself on Friday, June 15 and photographed the area in
question. One of my staff members tried to contact the property owner for
two weeks, but no one returned his calls or answered his emails. We
therefore requested that the Department of Licenses & Inspections issue a
violation to the property owner for failing to obtain the Historical
Commission’s approval for the work. The Department is also issuing a
violation for failing to obtain a building permit for clearing more than
5,000 square feet of land. After receiving the violations, the property
owner will have an opportunity to take the appropriate corrective actions
(ie seek the Historical Commission’s and Department’s approvals for work to
remedy the situation). If an appropriate action is not taken, then the
Department and Historical Commission will seek to enforce the violations
through the courts. Thank you for your vigilence.
Jonathan E. Farnham, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Philadelphia Historical Commission
