Winter Review 2018
LET’S GET SOCIAL. Table of Contents
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President’s Welcome ................................................................................3
Welcome to New Board Members............................................................4
Friends of Rittenhouse Square Little Friends of Rittenhouse Square Young Friends of Rittenhouse Square
Holiday Lighting ........................................................................................10 Menorah Lighting .......................................................................................14 Furry Friends Spotlight: Meet Henry......................................................15
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2018 Membership Listings ....................................................................16
Ritttenhouse Revue..................................................................................22
@littlefriendsofrittenhouse @rittenhouse_youngfriends
Upcoming Events.....................................................................................28
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ANNIVERSARY OF THE GOAT Dear Friends: I’m thrilled to let our membership know that Rittenhouse Square has been listed as one of the Top 3 Public Parks in Philadelphia by ThreeBestRated.com! We are so lucky to have strong support from our members. I cannot thank you enough for your generous support in the beautification of our magnificent Square. We’ve had a busy winter season as we are working on replanting the perimeter of the Square over the next few seasons. We are fortunate to have the help of Penn State’s Extension office who will assist us in the designing of the perimeter and also help us expand our community educational events. We look forward to engaging and educating the public on the history and horticulture of the Square. This year marks the 100th anniversary that our Billy the goat statue has been residing in the Square. The grandson of the original artist who cast Billy has commissioned a recasting since Billy has been worn down over years of use. With the help of the Association for Public Art, we will be welcoming the new Billy with a birthday party in the fall. Our initial hopes were to unveil the new and improved Billy in the Spring but given we will also be handling some of the restoration work to the seating area that surrounds Billy, we think the Fall will be a more appropriate time to celebrate. If anyone has interest in becoming more engaged with The Friends of Rittenhouse Square please contact us at info@friendsofrittenhouse.org. We’re always looking for new and energetic individuals to help the organization. I hope everyone is having a great start to 2018. I’d like to sincerely thank you all for your support. I look forward to another great year in the Square and hope to see you at our next membership meeting.
The Friends of Rittenhouse Square will be celebrating a milestone anniversary for a cherished member of Rittenhouse Park. Billy the Goat has resided in Rittenhouse Square for 100 years!! We are in the process of planning some special things in the fall to commemorate this historic event, but we need your help. Everybody most likely has a photo of the goat with someone dear to them. Start looking for those photos of your child, grandchild or even you as a child on the goat, family photos around the goat, etc. We’d like to try and incorporate some of these into what we are planning for the celebration. Please scan your precious goat photo and send to: billy@friendsofrittenhouse.org
Renew Your FRS Membership Don’t forget to renew your 2018 Friends of Rittenhouse Square Membership! Membership funds are used for the care and maintenance of Rittenhouse Square on annual basis. To renew your membership visit: www.friendsofrittenhouse.org
Our Mission The mission of the Friends of Rittenhouse Square is to preserve, protect and beautify Rittenhouse Square.
My best, Renée Dubyk President, Friends of Rittenhouse Square
Rittenhouse Square is part of the Fairmount Park System, operated in partnership with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation.
Welcome New Board Members With more than 5 years of professional finance experience, Joanne M. Berwind has brought her business acumen and project management skills to bear on efforts as varied as entertainment, real estate development and philanthropic investment. Joanne began her professional career in the accounting department of Six Flags Corporation, an internationally renowned leader in family entertainment. Joanne then served in the Treasury Department of Berwind Group, a multi-billion-dollar family-owned investment management company, as a Cash/Investment Manager and a Junior Analyst in the Real Estate Division. At the same time, Joanne completed her BA from Drexel University, graduating magna cum laude with a degree in Accounting/Finance. After six years at Berwind Group, Joanne returned to Drexel University full time to pursue her Masters of Business Administration. She completed her degree with a concentration in Finance, earning a 3.89 GPA. Joanne has since utilized her financial and management skills on several major business and philanthropic efforts. In 2003, Joanne and her late husband, Graham, began construction on the largest American-owned private yacht. Joanne oversaw the entire 3+ years project, from concept to construction, from build out to interior design. Joanne’s attention to detail and rigorous project management skills have resulted in international acclaim, both for the yacht’s technical achievement as well as its sense of style. Since the yacht’s launch in 2007, Joanne has been responsible for oversight of its operations, from the hiring of crew to the design of high level business and philanthropic excursions to interface with U.S. and international customs officials. Joanne also oversees successful real estate ventures across the United States.
Joanne Berwind
For the last decade, Joanne has dedicated a significant portion of her time to philanthropic endeavors and nonprofit board service. Joanne is a member of the Advisory Council of the Philadelphia Zoo and The Philadelphia Police Foundation. Previous board appointments include the Philadelphia Zoo, the Philadelphia Art Alliance, Friends of Rittenhouse Square and WOMEN’S WAY, the nation’s oldest and largest women’s funding federation. Joanne founded WOMEN’S WAY’s now celebrated Fall Gala, introducing a new audience and revenue stream to the organization with over $1,300,000 in net proceeds raised since the event’s inception in 2003. Joanne has served on numerous committees to include American Cancer Society and Project Home’s 30th Anniversary Gala just to name a few. Joanne is a member of the Northeast Golf & Tennis Club in Maine, Palm Beach Yacht Club in Florida, and The Union League of Philadelphia. While they enjoy traveling the world and experiencing new cultures, Joanne is most at home in Center City Philadelphia, her Sanctuary Farm in Newtown Square and the hinterlands of Maine relaxing with her dog, three cats and assorted rescued farm animals.
Janice Birenbaum is currently the Asset Manager of Garden State Park, Cherry Hill’s exciting “Live-Work-Play” designation community in South Jersey. Janice was the Finance Director at Tower Investments from November 2012 to October 2015. Prior to joining Tower, she was Vice President of Structured Finance Administration at RAIT Financial Trust, a publicly traded real estate trust for seven years. Janice was Vice President, Commercial Lending at The Bancorp Bank and Vice President of Sales and Marketing of a SBA Certified Development Company administrating the 504 Subordinated Mortgage loan program. Janice has served on the Friends of Rittenhouse Square Board and Executive Committee for 8 years and the Executive Committee for the Heart Ball. Janice Birenbaum
Robyn Lewison is the founder and CEO of HealthMark Enterprises since 1994, a medical coordination and marketing company. Robyn has built her business through perseverance and a strong commitment to doing what's right for all the constituencies she serves. She is a unique entrepreneur, with relationships and experience that make her able to provide an unmatched service. Robyn has developed a vast medical network with VIP access to top specialists, diagnostic centers and physical rehabilitation facilities and along with her unparalleled medical network, she is able to arrange medical experts nationwide.
Robyn Lewison
Robyn moved to Rittenhouse in 2005 and soon became involved with The Friends of Rittenhouse Square as a Patron and then a Board Member. She was co- chair of the Rittenhouse Ball in 2016 and 2017. Robyn is an active philanthropist for various charities including the American Cancer Society, Susan G. Komen, ASPCA and The Lewison Library in the Bunting Blaustein Cancer Research Building at Johns Hopkins.
Hilarie Morgan moved to Philadelphia from New York when she began her doctoral studies in psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. As a student, she had fond memories of the square since her first studio apartment at the Claridge. The city of Philadelphia and its cultural community captivated her, and she decided never to leave, meeting her husband here and raising their three children. As a psychologist, Hilarie’s professional career centered on counseling and psychotherapy with children, families and adults. She began her career interning at Philadelphia Child Guidance Clinic and then continued her work doing psychological assessments in suburban school districts, counseling at community mental health centers, and private practice psychotherapy. In the civic and charitable arena, Hilarie currently serves on a number of boards in the Greater Philadelphia area. She is an overseer of the Institute of Contemporary Art at the University of Pennsylvania. She sits on the board of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and is on its Contemporary Art Committee. She is an overseer on the Women’s Health Leadership Council of Penn Medicine and a member of the Exhibitions Committee at the National Museum of American Jewish History. She is a trustee emeritus of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Hilarie and her husband Mitchell just completed an extensive renovation of an apt at the Rittenhouse Hotel. She is eager to help the Friends organization further its mission to beautify this jewel of a square and its park-like setting of green space.
Hilarie Morgan
New Board Members Continued
Mike Miska is an attorney at the Wolk Law Firm, where he exclusively handles aviation litigation. His practice is worldwide, and he has handled litigation arising from both commercial and private operations for victims of aviation accidents. He also holds his private pilot’s license, as well as his instrument rating and multiengine ratings, which was the catalyst for his career in aviation litigation. Mike recently moved to West Mt. Airy, and is in the process of restoring a stone home in the Pelham neighborhood. Mike is active in a variety of organizations and activities. Mike’s hobbies include antique automobile restoration, and is a member of the Classic Thunderbird Club International and the Auburn Cord Duesenberg club. He is also an avid sailor, and keeps a sailboat on the Delaware River. He can often be seen in or around Rittenhouse Square, during the week and weekends alike. He supports in a variety of organizations in the city, such as New Leash on Life and routinely participates in the events hosted by the Friends of Rittenhouse. Rittenhouse Square is the place where Mike fell in love with Philadelphia after moving here for law school at the Villanova School of Law from Washington, D.C. Mike is eager to become more active in supporting the Square, as it is a place special to him and so many others.
Mike Miska
Margaux was born and raised in Rittenhouse Square and is a passionate advocate for city living, which she promotes on a daily basis through her 13-year career as a residential real estate agent alongside her Mother and business partner, Mary Genovese Colvin. Shortly after graduating from the University of Maryland in 2003, Margaux moved back to Rittenhouse Square from D.C. and began her real estate career. She is now the managing partner of their "Top 100" real estate team "On the Square Real Estate" with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach Realtors. Growing up playing on "the goat" meant many fond memories of the square, but her favorite "On the Square" moments are everyday walks through the park, watching the community enjoy it as a gathering space where all are welcome -- furry friends included. This love of community and the park is what prompted Margaux's involvement with FRS while still a "young friend". Margaux has been involved in the Friends of Rittenhouse Square since 2013, serving as co-chair for the 2013 + 2014 Young Friends Ball on the Square, as a committee member for the Little Friends festival in 2015 and as co-chair for the LFRS in 2016, 2017 & 2018. Additionally, Margaux served as a Director on the William Penn Charter School Alumni Board from 2007 - 2016, where she held the role as President from 2014-2016.
Margaux Pelegrin
Margaux resides in Rittenhouse Square with her husband, Kevin, their two sons Colin (7) and Ben (5) and their English Bulldog, Lucy.
Lisa Popowich is a native Philadelphian. She and her husband Jonathan Stein have lived in the city for over 30 years where they raised their son Benjamin. They now share their time with a home in Denver, CO. Lisa owns Think Tank Inc. a business specializing in the design, development and manufacturing of watches and jewelry. Her business is located in the old commissary in Manayunk which was established in the late 1880's to service the Mills in the area. In addition to watches and jewelry, Think Tank is a distribution center to many of the largest retailers and E-tailers in the USA. Lisa continues in the tradition of her mother Lorraine Popowich who was on the Board of the FRS for twenty years.
Lisa Popowich
Susan Sherman has served as President & CEO of the Independence Foundation since 1996. The Independence Foundation is a private foundation dedicated to supporting programs in the greater Philadelphia area that provide services to people who ordinarily do not have access to them. After graduating with her Master’s Degree in Nursing from New York University, Susan first taught nursing at NYU, later at Bronx Community College. She then worked for the National League for Nursing. In 1980, she became both the Chairperson of the Department of Nursing for the Community College of Philadelphia and the mother of two beautiful daughters. In 1993, she joined the Independence Foundation as a board member, and in 1996 named President & CEO. Susan is a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing, League for Nursing, and The National College of Physicians of Philadelphia. She is a member of the board for Mural Arts Philadelphia. She serves on Advisory Committees for the American Academy of Nursing, MANNA and Students Run on Philly Style. Susan also serves the Eisenhower Fellowships Philadelphia Leadership Initiative Steering Committee Susan Sherman and previously on the Pennsylvania Bar Association Judicial Evaluation Commission. In the past, she served as chair of the Philadelphia Award Committee, the Council of Associate Degree Nursing Programs for the National League for Nursing, was a board member many local nonprofits, including Project HOME and the Philadelphia Zoo. Susan has received numerous honors and awards from local nonprofits organizations. She is a member of the Pennsylvania Women’s Forum, the Sunday Breakfast Club, and the Philanthropy Network of Greater Philadelphia.
WARWICK HOTEL RITTENHOUSE SQUARE OFFERING SPECIAL RATE FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES & FRIENDS OF RITTENHOUSE SQUARE
Rates starting at $139 Includes weekday breakfast & evening social hour Contact for details:
mary.darienzo@warwickrittenhouse.com
ONE BLOCK FROM RITTENHOUSE SQUARE PARK! 220 South 17th Street \\ Philadelphia, PA 19103 215.735.6000 \\ warwickrittenhouse.com
M Y L A G O S M Y W AY
C AV I A R C O L L E C T I O N S R I T T E N H O U S E S Q U A R E | 2 1 5 . 5 6 7. 0 7 7 0 | L A G O S . C O M
Holiday Tree Lighting ON RITTENHOUSE SQUARE
The 2017 Annual Rittenhouse Square Holiday Lighting took place on Tuesday, November 28, 2017. Families and friends from all over the Philadelphia area joined together in the center of Rittenhouse Square to ring in the holiday season with song and cheer. Santa Claus made a special visit to Rittenhouse Square to help all of our attendees count down to the lighting of the Christmas tree. The Rittenhouse Square Tree Lighting program included musical performances from the MacGuffin Theatre & Film Company’s Singin’ Bohemians, In The Mix A Cappella Group, the Greater Overbrook String Band, Penn Charter Quakers Dozen, and the Philly POPS. Holiday speeches at the event were heard from Mayor Jim Kenney, Friends of Rittenhouse Square President, Renée Dubyk, Corie Moscow, Rittenhouse Row, Kathryn Ott Lovell, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, Councilman Allan Domb and TD Bank, our presenting sponsor. A special thank you to IBEW Local 98, John Dougherty, and MJK Electric for donating the tree and lights that make The Square look so inviting during the winter season. Attendees enjoyed the program while sipping on deliciously warm apple cider and hot cocoa as well as treats from local eateries. Thank you for helping to make the CBS 3’s toy fest campaign such a success, as they collected over 250 toys from our community.
We look forward to a wonderful 2018 in Rittenhouse Square Park!
A big thank you to our event participants:
MJK ELECTRIC
RICHARD & VIRGINIA ROSE
Menorah Lighting On December 17, 2017, the Rittenhouse Square community came together to celebrate the festival of lights with a pre-lighting child friendly party with a juggling show and Chanukah treats before the lighting of the Menorah. Led by Rabbi Goldman from B’nai Abraham Chabad, the community sang, lit the candles and rejoiced in the Chanukah festivities.
Nickname: The Hen
Meet Henry
Aspirational Nickname: King of the Neighborhood Breed: Golden Retriever Age: 4 months old Personal Attendants: Matthew McAuliffe & Miguel Aguilo-Seara Current Home in Philadelphia: Walnut Street - very close to The Square so I ask my dads to take me there at least once per day. I have met so many new friends in the park and I love the variety of sticks and branches. I’m loving Philadelphia and I can’t wait to experience my first spring in the park. Favorite Places to Eat: Sadly, it’s been too cold outside but my dads promised me that they would take me to Parc when the weather is nicer. Favorite Toy: Rope Mallard Arch-Enemies: Big trucks - they scare me! Henry Around the Square: If you see me chasing leaves and eating sticks, feel free to say “hi”! I give lots of kisses and enjoy meeting furry and non-furry friends alike.
The Year of the Dog
The Furry Friends of Rittenhouse Square are the pet members of The Friends. Your pet can join at www.friendsofrittenhouse.org or by calling 267-586-5675. In each edition of the newsletter, one of our Furry Friend members will be featured. If you would like to have your pet considered for inclusion join today or if they are already a Furry Friend, email us at info@friendsofrittenhouse.org
2018 Membership Listings Thank you for helping The Friends preserve, protect, and beautify The Square! (Membership listings are as of February 27, 2018.)
Rittenhouse Circle
Rick & Flo Celender Jim and Cheryl Dexter Dorchester Owners Association Mr. & Mrs. Louis Eni Vickie & Jack Farber Amy & Bill Green Mr. Richard Green Marjorie and Jeffrey Honickman Mr. Dennis Hummel Mrs. Susan Kaiserman Mr. & Mrs. Bernard Korman Hadia Lefavre Mr. & Mrs. Seth Lehr Suzanne and Robert Levin Mr. & Mrs. Leon L. Levy Arturo Loaiza-Bonilla Mr. & Mrs. Sonny Mandell George & Keiko Miller Hilarie & Mitchell Morgan Parc Rittenhouse Condominium Association Dr. Joseph Roberts & Dr. Kathryn Ames Jana Foundation Inc Mr. & Mrs. Fred Shabel Carole Price Shanis Mr. and Mrs. Mark Stutman Dr. Bettyruth Walter Marian & Norman Wolgin
Benefactor
Mr. Randolph Apgar & Mr. Allen Black Barbara B. & Theodore R. Aronson Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Birenbaum Donnie and Joanne Davidow Ms. Pam Estadt Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Field Steve & Betsy Filton Mr. Robert T. Foley Drs. Peter & Pamela Freyd Jim Kenney Ms. Elaine Levitt Joanna McNeil Lewis
Mr. & Mrs. Bernard Meyers Mr. Anthony Schaeffer Mr. & Mrs. James Shacklett Nina Tinari & Michael Schulson Deborah Feith Tye Arthur Alan Wolk Mr. & Mrs. Joe Zuritsky
Patron
Kim & David Adler Mr. Elgart Aster & Mr. Paul Swerdlove Bart Blatstein Mr. & Mrs. Eugene Block Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz Mrs. Nicole A. Cashman Mr. Miles Cohen Mr. John DePaul and Ms. Kathleen Donato Ms. Lisa Detwiler & Mr. Don Mahoney Ms. Margaret C. Dolan Renée Dubyk & Allen Tucci Dr. Alexander and Andrea Ehrlich Mr. David Fineman Mr. & Mrs. Bruce Goldenberg Ronald Harrigal Mr. and Mrs. Harold Honickman Mr. & Mrs. Warren Kantor Jacqueline and Eric Kraeutler Mr. & Mrs. Fred Kyle Sally & Tod MacKenzie Stephanie & Michael Naidoff David Neff Bridget M. Newell and Gregory Foliano Mr. Stephen Sader Leonard & Alice Sayles Mr. Robert Schwartz & Ms. Judith Creed Ms. Susan Sherman Bonnie and Harris Sklar Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Stevens Mr. Charles Toll & Diane Apfelbaum Toll Mr. and Mrs. Richard G. Unruh, Jr. Julie Vernick Mr. Joseph H. Weiss & Ms. Sharon Pinkenson Dr. Harold and Linda Yaffe Mr. Benjamin E. Zuckerman & Ms. Marian Robinson
Friend
Phil Balderston Marvin and Carol Bank Dr. Sylvia Beck & Dr. Jay Federman Joanne Berwind Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Block Mr. Ira Brind & Ms. Stacey Spector Mr. Paul Brown Dr. Amanda Burden and Mr. Guy Aiman Phil and Meg Cavanaugh Polly Cohen Mr. & Mrs. Robert Colvin Mr. Dan Coyle Mr. Luis De Velasco Francis P. Devine, III & Madeline M. Sherry Mrs. Isaac Djerassi Mr. William Eisen Debbie & Jerry Epstein Mrs. Alexandra M. Estey Gilbert Feinberg and Nadeen Van Tuyle Stephen Ferguson Mr. S. David Fineman & Joy Sardinsky Mr. & Mrs. Glenn Foster Dr. & Mrs. Fred Frankel Barry & Meryl Freedman Donna & David Gerson Mr. Bruce Godfrey Mr. & Mrs. Jon Goodman Drs. Vivian & Mark Greenberg Mrs. Bertram Greenspun Ms. Donna Gregor Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Gross Rob Gundlach Ms. Carole Haas Gravagno Harmaleah Farm Pamela S. Hoelsken Mr. & Mrs. Edward J. Kabala Mr. Brian Kappra Mr. Leroy E. Kean Ms. Candy Kean Madeleine & Steven Kessler Kate and Michael Kinslow Sarah and Kevin Kleinschmidt Mr. Charles Kopp Mr. & Mrs. Torsten Kreider Robert D. Lane, Jr. & Randi Zemsky Sara & Adam Laver Mr. William Lake Leonard Mr. & Mrs. Richard Levy Mr. & Mrs. Dale Lieberman
Linda & Fred Lightman Judy and Leonard Lundy Mr. & Mrs. Alan Mandeloff Ms. Mary A. McLaughlin Lawrence G. McMichael, Esq. Mr. John J. Medveckis Mr. & Mrs. Paul Melchiorre Mr. Damon Michels Mr. Edward Montgomery, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Jeff Morgan Ms. Alana Murphy & Mr. Chris Kepler Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Neducsin Mr. & Mrs. Howard Needleman Ms. Barbara I. O'Neill Lisa & Harvey Ostroff Mr. & Mrs. Russell Palmer Mary Parenti and Richard Castor Mr. & Mrs. Doc Parghi Mr.and Mrs. Kevin Pelegrin Mrs. John Pelino Thomas Petrelli, Jr., Esquire Ms. Laurie Phillips & Mr. Barry A. Milberg Richard and Beth Probinsky Ms. Merle Raab Roberta Richard and Michael Silverman Ms. Linda Richardson Rittenhouse Square Fine Art Show Terry Rogal Picker & Bennett Picker Mr.& Mrs. Richard Rosenberg Mr. & Mrs. Mark E. Rubenstein Mr. & Mrs. David Russell Alan Sandman & John Pcsolar Dr. Katherine Schneider & Dr. Bill Petricone Mr. & Mrs. Michael Scully Mr. & Mrs. Steve Shapiro Ms. Elaine L. Sherman & Mr. Robert Cohan Mr. & Mrs. Samuel Sidewater Jessica & Doug Simon Christopher & Wendy Born Mrs. Constance Smukler Sobol & Sobol Betty and Harmon Spolan Mr.& Mrs. Martin Sussman Ms. Michelle Tagilalatela Hon. Carolyn Engel Temin Harry Tucci Judith Wagner Ms. Constance Webber Mr. Alan Wechsler & Dr. Laura Wechsler Noele and Alan Wein
Friend (continued) Mr. Garth Weldon Deborah R. Willig, Esq. Mr. Justin B. Wineburgh, Esq. Karen Worthington
Family
Ms. Betsy Balin Penny Balkin Bach Morris & Lynn Ballen Cindy & Mark Baum Baicker Mr. David R. Beck and Ms. Marsha N. Dorman Prof. & Mrs. Michael Bedford Mr. & Mrs. Dave Beik Mr. & Mrs. Peter Benoliel Mr. Eric Berg & Ms. Claudia Mills Dr. & Mrs. Bruce Berger Dr. Eric Berger & Dr. Melissa Lerman Mr. & Mrs. Steven Berkowitz Rita Bernstein & Alan Zuckerman Mr. Cullen Blake, Ms. Katherine Milkman and Mr. Cormac Blake Harris T. Bock, Esq. and Denise D. Hodgson James Bodenheimer Marianne & Paul Bogen Mr. & Mrs. Jay Borish Patricia Lang Boyer & John O’Brien Rorer lll Diane Bryant & Margie Wilde Mr. Benito Cachinero & Ms. Deborah Gorman The David Ciervo Family
Ms Denise Friedland Cohen and Mr Matthew Conklin
Dr. D. Walter Cohen Mr. Richard Cohen Mr. and Mrs. James Colleran Mr. David Conner & Dr. Julia Spears Jacob Cooper & Natalie Aronson Mr. & Mrs. Russell Crockett, Sr. Dr. Giulio D'Angio & Dr. A. Evans Sandra and Michael Dean Mr. & Mrs. Samuel Diamond James and Barbara Dunigan Dr. & Mrs. Malcolm Ecker Mr. & Mrs. Jay Eisner Dr. Gary Emmett & Dr. Marianne Ruby Dr. & Mrs. Andrew Epstein Ms. Evelyn Eskin & Dr. David Major Ms. Rosa Esquenazi Lauren & David Felderman Mr. & Mrs. Rich Feldman
Donna Nicoletti Ferrier and Joseph J Ferrier Mr. & Mrs. Elliott Fisher Ms. Janet R. Fox and Mr. William W. Fox, Jr. Dr. & Mrs. Matthew Frankel Janice and Leonard Freed Joan and Stan Freed Mr. & Mrs. Robert L. Freedman Mr. Howard Goldman & Ms. Fay Trachtenberg Mr. & Mrs. Bernie Gross Ms. Nydia Han & Dr. Dennis Reilly Mr. and Mrs. Brian Hannon Virginia Heideck Mr. & Mrs. Ben Heinzen Mrs. Deena R. Hessler Gail & David Hofstein Hon. Harris and Sande Hollin Mrs. Robert A. Horen Mr. Sam Howe & Ms. Dodi Fordham Henry and Sally Hudson Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Hymowitz Ann Sue & David Israel Ms. Gina R. Keck Mr. Myles Kelly & Mr. Richard Wilson Toba & Larry Kerson Dr. David Kietrys & Mr. Jack Edler Ellen Killen & Thomas Goodman Mr. Kevin Kinkade Susan and Leonard Klehr Terri & Thomas Klein Dr. Lorraine Kligman Jim and Nina Korsh Mr. & Mrs. Arnold Kramer Mr. and Mrs. Larry Kramer Mr. Henry Kranzler Jason Kravitz Margaret Kruza & Tony Simonetta Mr. & Mrs. Ed Kung Ms. Laura LaRosa Judge & Mrs. Samuel Lehrer Gerry & Marguerite Lenfest Dr. Charles W. Lentz & Mr. Matthew Malinowski Honorable Benjamin Lerner & Ms. Mimi Cohen Mr. & Mrs. Richard Levine Mr. David Lewis & Ms. Karen Orman Ms. Robyn Lewison & Mr. Walter Bailey Carol and Howard Lidz Ms. Kathie Lister & Mr. Jeffrey Reinhold Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Loffer Judith Losben Mr. & Mrs. Jay Ludwig
Family (continued)
Dr. Rosalie Matzkin Dr. Rosario Mayro Pamela and Michael McCarthy Laura and Philip McMunigal Bob & Jeanne Melchionni Mr. Leonard Mellman & Mr. Matt Cunniff Ms. Nancy Middlebrook & Mr. Tom Sherman Mr. & Mrs. Tom P. Monteverde Ms. Barbara Murphy Michael Murtha & Jeffrey Adkins Farid Naib Eliot and Bonnie Nierman Steve & Suzanne O'Grady Drs. Maya & Brad Pirok Arthur & Barbara Pomerantz Dr. and Mrs. Jay Pomerantz Dianne and Graham Quinn Leily Razavi, DDS & Mr. Ken Howard Abe & Sherri Reich Jane Richards & Family Diane and David Richman Mr. & Mrs. Stanley Roberts Mr. Charles Robin Lee A. Rosengard & Andrea R. Kramer Mel and Aileen Rothbard Dr. & Mrs. Martin Rubel Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Sanjenis Jill and Kerry Schuman Dr. & Mrs. Louis W. Schwartz Mr. & Mrs. Ralph M. Scott Gregory Segall Ms. Nina Segre & Mr. Frank F. Furstenberg, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Sheller Dr. & Mrs. Robert Siegle Barbara and Edward W. Silver Mr. & Mrs. Angus Smith Jonne and Corey Smith Robert Smith Dr. Harvey & Babette Snyder Heather & Daniel Sobol James B. and Nancy Steele Phillip “Jay” and Stacey Storm Mr & Mrs. Randolph Swartz Andrew Terhune & Janice McMillen Lynda Tobin Mr. & Mrs. Paul Toy Mr. & Mrs. David S. Traub Jack and Ramona Vosbikian Faith & Sol Weiss
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Weiss Dr. Courtney & Mr. Rob Wells David & Betsy Wice Ilene & David Winikur Mr. & Mrs. Theodore Wohlsen Dr. and Mrs. Steven Wolfgang
Individual
Ms. Brigitte Addimando Melanie Amster M.D. Lee Arnold Ms. Judith Axler Irene Levy Baker Ms. Nancy Balbus Mrs. Marvin Balistocky Regina Bannan Mr. David L. Barquist & Mr. Douglas G. Schaller Mr. Lawrence I. Bass Victoria Bayle Mr. Joel D. Beaver Ms. Sondra Taylor Bergey Mr. William C. Bertolet Mr. Louis Bluver Dr. Claire Boasi Ms. Elaine Breslow Ms. Marie Bridy Penninah Brodie Mr. Robert Burg Ms. Sandra Bush Kuby Ms. Erin Bushnell Ms. Juliana Bussiere Mr. John Calabro Mrs. Rhonda Chatzkel Ms. Marilyn S. Conway Michael and Oksana Coyle Rev. Msgr. Louis A. D'Addezio Toby Korman Davidov Terri Davitch Dr. and Mrs. Alan Decherney Dr. Steven Diamond Mr. Peter Dilsheimer Mr. Joseph Dimaio, Jr. Sandra and Martin Domínguez Mr. and Mrs. George Economou Mr. Bernard L. Edelstein EFS Networks Incorporated Mallory Eisenman Ms. Kathleen Federico Ms. Nancy Fien
Individual (continued)
Mr. Bruce A. Finlayson Cynthia Fisher Kathryn Fodor Lucienne Frappier Mazur Ms. Barbara Freedman Donald M. Friedman Patrick Gault Mr. Michael Gilbertson Mr. Steven Goldblatt Christine Grant Ms. Marilyn Gray Ms. Arlene R. Grenald Ken Gross Mr. Bob Groves & Ms. LaVonne France Elizabeth Grutzmacher Ms. Janet Hagan Crystal Hanrahan Mr. David Harbater Ms. Lora Hemphill Mr. Robert W. Hull Mr. and Mrs. Michael Hullings Martin Ihrig Ms. Linda Katz Drs. Peter & Caroline Koblenzer Dr. Sandra Koffler Jorge Kostianovsky Mr. Mitchell Krasnoff Lance Lacheen Ms. Virginia E. Lampson Ms. Theodora Landgren John Barry Lane Mr. William Lederer Ira Lefton Mr. & Mrs. Howard Levinson Mr. and Mrs. Robert Loewy Ms. Dolores Lubin Ms. Carolyn Lyons James Marsh Ms. Glenda C. Marshall Ed Massaro Betty & Jim Matarese Matthew McKenney Ms. Peg Mertz Ms. Norma Michaels Mr. Konstantinos Mikropoulos Nicollette E. & Henry J. Miller III Mr. Karl F. Miller & Professor Roberta Tarbell Barbara Mishkin Michael Miska
Dr. Karen Miura Ms. Kathleen Mulhern Iris Newman Mr. & Mrs. Patrick Pang Mr. Philip Petri Courtney Ricaurte Mrs. Rosane Rocher Ms. Joan Rosenfeld Ms. Elaine H. Rosomoff Mr. Edward Roth Dr. Bernard Rothman Beverly Rubin Roger Rubin Patsy and Val Sauri Mr. Harry Carl Schaub & Mrs. Kathryn Deans-Schaub Mr. Frederick Scheuren Mr. James Schultz Michelle Schultz Carmen E. Schwartz Mr. & Mrs. Michael Scullin Dr. Kathy J. Segal Mrs. Ruth L. Segal Mr. Dan Sheehan Ms. Leslye Silver Mrs. Matthew Slap William Spang Dr. Robert Stern & Ms. Mary Ellen Weber Mr. Robert J. Swarbrick Paul Swerdlove Mr. John Taima Ms. Caroline Turek Antonelli Bill Turner Ms. Ellen S. Varenhorst Dane and Joan Wells Jackie Whyte Mr. John Wind Joan P. Wohl Karen Worthington Ms. Barbara Zarsky
Young Friend Madison Alig Ms. Jackie Bean Leigh Benson Stanton and Jill Braid Kiara Cox Sarah Davis Jake Gardner-Rosen
Young Friend (continued) Ashley Hildebrandt Alexander Jarin Kristy Leong Laura McLafferty Mr. David Skolnick & Ms. Marilee Morris Alessandra Mullin Lindsay Neath De A. Olagundoye Ashley Orleans Ms. Hayley Schneider Kiley Schroeder Elizabeth Stevko Brooke Stewart Ashley N. Taylor Clint Walker Sean C. Wieland Alexandra Zeuli Kelly Ann Farley Thomas Farnese
Corporate Patron PNC Bank
Corporate Friend
ellelauri Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia LAGOS John Neill Painting Southern Land Company The Warwick Hotel Rittenhouse Square
Furry Friend
Tucker Barto Sophia Brodie Daxby Dubyk Greta Dubyk Keebler Harrigal Cassidy Israel Rina Belle Kaplan Masha Kravitz Pasha Kravitz Henry McAuliffe Jasper Murtha Eddie Spaghetti Henry Tucci Lily Wolk and Priscilla The Goat
The following interview is with Janice Waitkus, of LAGOS, the Flagship store showcasing Philadelphia re-known designer Steven Lagos jewelry collections, with its home on the Square.
This is Rittenhouse Revue, an interview project of the Friends of Rittenhouse Square. Since the establishment of the modern square in 1825, it has been recognized as one of the country’s finest urban green spaces. We all know it, the goat, the lion, the frog, the fountains, and the gardens are familiar with every Philadelphian, but what of the people of Rittenhouse Square.
How long have you been a part of the Rittenhouse Square community and involved with the square itself? I have been involved in the Rittenhouse Square community, working at the Lagos flagship store, for nine years- I came over in 2009 right after the economic crunch to try and save retail in the neighborhood. The Lagos store has itself been there for twenty-one years. We’ve changed a lot, gone through a renovation. Watching things happen here is really fun. Since you’ve been here in 2009, how has he Rittenhouse Square community and the square itself changed? The thing that I love about Rittenhouse Square is that it feels like a community where people work, shop, and dine, and again, being a homegrown store located in the heart of the city, it makes you feel proud of what’s there; we’ve seen a lot of change from mom-and-pop shops to more national names- LAGOS is one of those national names, and we’ve stayed a part of and been a leader in the community. As Director of Retail and Community Relations, it’s gotten me involved in things that have happened in the square- the changes, the renovations, storefronts come and go, but the people stay constant. Where do you see Rittenhouse Square going in the future? The Rittenhouse area has always been a bustling and desirable location for retailers. It’s interesting to see that retailers around the country are scaling back operations, but retail is still strong here, so I see that it will continue to grow in that direction. We will continue to have strong businesses. As each new generation arrives, we see new waves of growth in all sectors, and I believe we’ll continue to see that long into the future. What would you say is your favorite time of year on the square? What is really exciting is when you have a sunny warm day- when you get into the spring time and the square comes alive; you see the azaleas, the roses, or the trees coming in bloom, or people hustling about or sitting on benches. It’s the eclectic feeling of the whole park, you see nannies pushing strollers, and children playing. That really to me is a fun time of year, which then leads into the May Festival for Rittenhouse Row. And of course, with the Friends of Rittenhouse we have preparations for the Ball on the Square, which is a fun time to gather with people that really care about the Square, most certainly LAGOS being one of them.
The following interview is with Nancy Heinzen, the Vice President of Landscaping for the Friends of Rittenhouse Square. How long have you been a part of the Rittenhouse Square community? I’ve been a part of Rittenhouse Square for longer than I care to say; a long long time. I came here right out of school, and I’m like the man that came to dinner: I stayed and I’m still here. Since you came to Philadelphia, how have you seen the Square and the community change? Well, going back to the early 1960s, one thing that I remember about Philadelphia is at 11 pm, they rolled up the sidewalks, and it was a very very quiet place, and Rittenhouse Square was no exception. Of course what is different today is that it’s extraordinarily lively, especially at night. I’m talking about the periphery of the square, the areas around it, the restaurants and places with people walking the street at night. You just didn’t see that in the 60s. Now in terms of the square itself, not a lot has changed. I’m talking about what’s inside the fence, it’s still pretty much the same. Where do you see the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood going in the future? That’s very hard to say, I don't like to predict the future, but it's been around a long time and I really think it will continue; it’s one of the five historic squares and not a lot can happen unless something drastic happens in City Council and they make some ordinance or something that allows them to do something terrible to it. In 1950 they actually did; they tried to build a parking lot underneath it, and the residents of the Square got together and revolted and it ended up in the founding of the Center City Residents Association, the voting of which blocked the underground garage. That would’ve changed the whole image of Rittenhouse Square. It’s community activists and things like that kind of keep it within its boundaries and keep it how it is. It’s a public park and that's one thing we have to keep in mind. William Penn founded it for the commonwealth; the community. He wanted people to have a place to go and relax. Of course, we’re talking about the late 17th century. The City was completely different then. People didn’t have air conditioning or anything like that, so they needed a place to come relax, to just get away from work. Today it’s the same way; it’s an oasis. You can see people sitting out on the benches and you can tell they they’ve had a bad day at the office and they’re just letting off steam. Sometimes you just need a place to get out and sit and commune with nature and get away with what's going on inside. Of course today we have all these creature comforts, but we still need a place to sit and reflect sometimes; you can just sit on a bench and watch the world go by- it’s your quiet space outside of your office or your home or wherever. What is your favorite time of year or season on the Square? Well my favorite season is… actually I’m a fan of all four seasons, each season has its own charm. I like very early in the morning, say 6:30 or 7:00 in July or August when everybody’s away, and you go out into the square and there’s still a bit of a mist and its totally quiet. There are just trees and birds and its really magical. There are other times when it can be that way too. But it’s changing, I must take a little of what I just said back, because it used to be that July and August the city closed down; everybody went to the shore, the mountains, went away Today with the way we live, and with jobs the way they are, people leave at different times, and the Square is changing in that respect, but it used to be very very quiet. (next page)
What is your favorite time of year or season on the Square? (continued) The winter has its charm, especially on a cold but sunny day. There aren’t a lot of people out, but if they are they’re going about their business because it’s cold, be it walking the dog or holding a toddler by the hand going through the Square, people are walking fast. I see Rittenhouse Square as a kind of ballet; it starts at around 7 in the morning, you see people going to work, going to school, taking the dog out for a walk, then it quiets down, and then you start to see people coming to the high rises with briefcases on the way to their offices. Then later on you start seeing the little children with their nannies around the goat, and they’re there until about lunch time; they disappear and then come the office people, and everybody’s out on the Square with their sandwich enjoying the park. Then in the early afternoon you see the schools letting out, and kids coming home from school. By about 4 or 5 o’clock you start seeing people coming through on their way home from work, and the restaurants around the Square start to perk up; you see people meeting each other for coffee and everything becomes very lively, and then in the evening time it’s all activity again. It goes that way almost every day, no matter what time of year.
(continued)
As Vice President of Landscaping, what sort of things do you do for the Friends of Rittenhouse Square? My major project has been growing grass. Grass has been a big problem. When you have as many people as we do going through the Square each day, growing grass becomes an issue, but we have managed to get grass growing on the north, south, east and west lawns. Trees are another challenge. We have some very wonderful old trees that we’re trying to preserve while taking care of the new trees. They are what makes the park; they make it the oasis that helps you get away from it all. Of course we have a very fine landscaper, that we meet with very regularly, and they plant grass seed twice a year and take care of the trees with pruning. We plant tulips, lots and lots of tulips; we planted over 1,000 tulips at our Love Your Park Day. Then in the early spring we’ll plant various other plants in the corners of the park to give it a dash of color. Of course there are the urns, which date back to the early 1940’s. It just makes everybody feel good to walk into the Park and see color. What are some of the challenges that you and the Friends face with the maintenance and preservation of the Square? Well the challenge is that a lot of people don’t realize that the City can only do so much, and that maintenance of the square is really up to the Friends. The big things, power, water, police, the City provides, but the other things… the grass gets moved at least every ten days, the benches, park repairs, extra trash collection in the summer… the things that make the Square civilized and nice, those are the Friends’ responsibilities. We as Friends raise money for and take care of what makes life a little more pleasant out there. Do you have a favorite memory of life on the Square? Well life on the Square is interesting. I’ve lived in this building for thirty years, and in total lived on three sides of the square itself. It’s a community. Neighbors know each other; people know each other. In a sense it’s like New York where there’s a constant flow of new people, but there’s also a stability of the people that’ve lived in these high rises for years. There’re wonderful institutions on the Square like the Curtis Institute and the City’s Free Library. They attract groups of people that know each other and socialize. There’re also a number of houses of worship within a block of the square, and it really provides a community. Rittenhouse Square means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. A lot of how people think of the Square is tied to before the Civil War, when the Square was home to the mansions of the city’s movers and shakers. Then of course, they were replaced by high rises, which are much more democratic; with vertical living you can have many more people, which promotes the diversity of our community.
$500 off to Friends of Rittenhouse Square members Offer ends March 31, 2018
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2/24/18 5:38 PM
9AM - 11AM Morning Coffee & Conversation View the exhibit and join a Q&A over coffee
5PM - 7PM Evening Reception & Discussion View the exhibit and join a Q&A over drinks and light hors d'oeuvres
RSVP Today! uarts.edu/artalliance or 215.545.4302
The near 100 year old white oak tree (on the south 19th Street side entrance) was removed on Tuesday, February 20. The roots were critically injured during the excavation for the sidewalk curbing in 2016. For a year and half, it was observed by three separate certified arborists. We explored all possibilities before it was deemed a loss. The wood chips from the oak tree will be placed around the Square. We have received a generous donation from one our members to plant a new tree. This will take place in early spring.
Friendly Reminder:
Please refrain from putting your household trash in the Square receptacles.
Thank you!
Join Us To Help Beautify The Park
SUNDAY, MARCH 18 10AM-12PM
SUNDAY, APRIL 22 10AM-12PM
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN HELPING CLEAN UP THE PARK, PLEASE EMAIL INFO@FRIENDSOFRITTENHOUSE.ORG BY MARCH 15. IF YOU CANNOT MAKE IT IN MARCH, JOIN US FOR EARTH DAY IN APRIL! LOOK OUT FOR FURTHER DETAILS ON OUR WEBSITE AND IN OUR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER. WE CAN’T WAIT TO SEE YOU THERE!
Upcoming Events: Spring 2018
March 18
Park Clean Up Day
April 22
Park Clean Up Day (Earth Day)
May 11 - 13
Fine Craft Show at Rittenhouse Square
May 12
Love Your Park Day
May 19
Rittenhouse Row
May 23
Friends of Rittenhouse Membership Meeting
June 1 - 3
Rittenhouse Square Fine Art Show
June 20
Little Friends Festival
June 21
Ball on The Square
June 22
Young Friends Ball
LOVE Your Park Day
Volunteers are needed for the 2018 Spring Love Your Park Day on Saturday, May 12, to help plant impatiens in the park. Work starts at 9:00am by the Gardener’s Cottage and continues until 12:00pm (or when work is complete). Groups are welcome; please make sure children arrive with adequate supervision. If you would like to help, please contact jackie@friendsofrittenhouse.org to sign-up. This event is weather permitting and may be cancelled due to rain or extreme temperatures.
Sponsorship Opportunities
The Friends of Rittenhouse Square are always looking for neighborhood residents and businesses to help us in our fundraising efforts. If you are interested in sponsoring one of our summer events please contact jackie@friendsofrittenhouse.org to learn more about sponsorship benefits for The Ball on The Square, The Young Friends Ball on The Square and our Little Friends Festival. Please be sure to renew your membership by April 1, as invitations to our upcoming events will go out to our current members this spring!
For more information about Friends of Rittenhouse, please visit www.friendsofrittenhouse.org