Urban Renewal Bill Shocks Preservationists

"Preservationists are in near-shock over a newly introduced City Council bill that they say would drive a stake through the heart of historic preservation in Philadelphia. The bill's author, Councilwoman Jannie L. Blackwell, said the legislation was meant to give residents more choice in the redevelopment of their neighborhoods, but critics say it would destroy decades of preservation work that has given the city and its historic treasures an international cachet."