Last week’s Local article entitled “Hospital, Conservancy clash over historic status,” incorrectly reported that the Chestnut Hill Conservancy (then called Chestnut Hill Historical Society) and the Chestnut Hill Hospital had signed an easement that required the hospital to maintain the Norwood Avenue lot behind the Women’s Center’s parking garage as open space.

In fact, there is no easement. Instead, the Chestnut Hill Community Association and Chestnut Hill Hospital signed a 1999 letter of agreement that says the hospital will maintain the lot behind the parking garage as open space, and that it would sign an easement to that effect whenever the Conservancy presents it with one. 

The Conservancy’s position is that the hospital has reneged on that agreement by using that lot for parking, and by not signing easements that the Conservancy has presented. The hospital maintains that it is not legally bound to sign an easement, and also that what happens to the land in question is a separate issue from what happens to the historically-nominated building. 

The article also stated that “the nomination was submitted soon after state money was allocated to the hospital for the potential expansion of the Women’s Center.” This is true, however, it should be made clear that the Conservancy is not opposed to the expansion of the Women’s Center, and nominated the building to prevent specifically potential demolition described in the state grant. 

The nomination is scheduled to be considered and possibly decided by the Philadelphia Historical Commission at their September 8th virtual public meeting.