Philly 1st major U.S. city to develop disaster plan for historic buildings

Should the next Superstorm Sandy strike, Philadelphia plans to be ready to protect the properties that mark some of the city's and the country's history-making moments.

With $1.5 million in grant money from the National Park Service – part of the Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief Fund, several organizations came together to form the "Disaster Planning for Historic Properties Initiative," according to Plan Philly.

 “The grant covered bricks-and-mortar repairs in Northampton County, and the balance is for the survey, planning and outreach work” in the pilot counties -- Philadelphia, Bedford, Cameron and Monroe -- said Cory Kegerise, community preservation coordinator for the eastern region at the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission.

“As Congress was authorizing flood relief for all kinds of effects of Sandy, it authorized $50 million for historic preservation funds for states to protect historic properties,” Kegerise said.

Flood-prone parts of Philadelphia, like Manayunk, are home to as many as 100 historic buildings, although some of the properties at risk of damage from a natural disaster are also located in Center City.

Of the $1.5 million grant, $200,000 was earmarked for Philadelphia, where a team is currently conducting a survey of historic properties in flood prone parts of the city.

Source: Philadelphia Business Journal