The Philadelphia Historic Commission is reviewing a nomination for the nearly 130-year-old former St. Francis of Assisi church at 48-60 W. Logan St. DePaul Catholic School plans to replace the building with a soccer field and playground; if the property is designated, that could affect the demolition plan, according to The Chestnut Hill Local.
What the city will consider
The Solo Germantown Civic Association submitted the nomination. The Committee on Historic Designation is scheduled to hear it on November 18, 2026, followed by a full Philadelphia Historical Commission hearing on December 11. The dates may change, The Chestnut Hill Local reported.
What historic designation means
The Philadelphia Historical Commission says a property must meet the city’s designation criteria to be listed on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places. The city’s criteria determine whether a property qualifies for listing. If the church is added to the Register, the Historical Commission would review proposals to change its appearance and proposals to demolish it, according to the Philadelphia Department of Planning and Development. Designation would not automatically prohibit every proposed change.
The school’s plan and the preservation dispute
The parish closed before DePaul acquired the church in 2013. Independence Mission Schools, which operates DePaul, considered reusing the building for school purposes. CEO Gianna D’Angelo and Steve Kline told The Chestnut Hill Local that the building’s age and asbestos-remediation costs made rehabilitation impractical.
Neighbors and former church members told The Chestnut Hill Local they would be saddened by demolition and consider the building important to Germantown’s history. D’Angelo and Kline said they do not consider it historically significant. D’Angelo also pointed to nearly 50 letters of support from parents and urged opponents to consider the recreation space the project would provide for students, the outlet reported.
Councilwoman Cindy Bass and state Sen. Art Haywood have supported the demolition plan, according to The Chestnut Hill Local. Separately, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that demolition at Christian Street Baptist Church continued in 2018.
