Plans for the crosstown expressway to replace South and Bainbridge Streets, 1961. Source: Philadelphia City Planning Commission
We made a high res scan so we can zoom into this and travel along the highlighted routes during discussion of the expressway planning within the documentary.
This audio file is a sampling of the surveying interviews we conducted door-to-door style along South Street in order to understand awareness of and experience with the crosstown expressway among today’s South Street inhabitants.
This video is a series of unedited clips from our pre-interview with architect Denise Scott Brown. This conversation gave us an helped to inform the story arc of the documentary, as well as the artifacts we sought to source.
Samples of photos by Denise Scott Brown when she chronicled South Street in response to the City’s plans to raze the street for construction of the expressway.
In addition to photos by Denise Scott Brown, our cutaway graphics are sourced from the public library, Temple University, municipal archives, and personal collections. Below are some of the images we gathered in our research.
“Protest March Against Crosstown Expressway. Leading the marchers is Mrs. Alice Lipscomb, of 537 S. Iseminger St., Phila. Chairman of the Citizens Committee to preserve & develop the community." Photo by Jack Tinney, 1968. Source: Temple University Libraries, Special Collections Research Center
>> Alice Lipscomb was a key figure in rallying the community against the construction of the expressway on South Street. Unfortunately, she is no longer with us, but our pre-interview with Denise Scott Brown shed some light on Alice’s work.
“Awards for community services. Milton A. Eisenberg (left), chairman of Brotherhood Week, sponsored by the National Conference of Christians and Jews [later the National Conference for Community and Justice], presents special awards for community services to Mrs. Alice Lipscomb and Mrs. Anna M. McGarry (seated right). Also receiving awards at a luncheon in the Benjamin Franklin Hotel are (standing, from left), Commissioner of Recreation Robert W. Crawford, Alvin E. Echols, Jr., and Morris Milgram.” Photo published in the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin. 1967. Source: Temple University Libraries, Special Collections Research Center
“Crosstown Expressway Protesters. Crosstown expressway protesters parade around City Hall. Mrs. Joreatha Lindsey and her three-year-old daughter, Vivian, of South Philadelphia, lead the marchers." Photo by Jack Tinney, 1968. Source: Source: Temple University Libraries, Special Collections Research Center
“Demonstrations Against the Crosstown Expressway. People picketing against the construction of a crosstown expressway.” Photo by Wasko, 1970. Source: Temple University Libraries, Special Collections Research Center
“Portrait of six women. Photo by Joseph Tritsch, 1970. Source: Temple University Libraries, Special Collections Research Center
>> Alice Lipscomb pictured on far left.
Storefront of Crooked Mirror, a cooperative coffee house that opened during the South Street Renaissance. Photo by Peggy Hartzel from her personal collection.
“Crosstown Community Office. Reflection of townhouses under construction is seen in window of Crosstown Community Office at 820 South St., a headquarters for the successful fight against Crosstown Expressway." 1970. Source: Temple University Libraries, Special Collections Research Center
“South Street vacancies. A number of vacant buildings and storefronts can be seen in this photo taken on the 2100 block of South Street.” Photo by Sonnee Gottlieb. Source: Temple University Libraries, Special Collections Research Center
“South Street. Although most of the homes and stores on the 2000 block of South Street are vacant, one shopkeeper can be seen cleaning up the front of his shop.” Photo by Jack Tinney, 1977. Source: Temple University Libraries, Special Collections Research Center
“Masquerade and Promenade. Rick Snyderman, chairman of the Masquerade Promenade on South Street, reads a statement from Mayor Rizzo which states that efforts to upgrade the neighborhood are underway. The street was blocked between Second and Eighth Street for the events.” Photo by Salvatore C. DiMarco, 1976. Source: Temple University Libraries, Special Collections Research Center
>> This decree is one of the artifacts we scanned and will include in our cutaways as Rick Snyderman and others describe their experiences of the South Street Renaissance.
“A witness testfies at a City Planning Commission hearing. Witness testifies at the annual public hearing of the City Planning Commission in City Hall Annex yesterday. In the foreground (left to right) are Commissioners Edmund Bacon, David G. Davis, and Joseph E. Coleman. Some 35 witnesses spoke at the hearing." Photo by Richard Rosenberg, 1970. Source: Temple University Libraries, Special Collections Research Center
“Boarded up stores. Empty stores are boarded up on the 2100 block of South Street. This image was republished by the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin on April 10, 1979.” Photo by Sonnee Gottlieb. Source: Temple University Libraries, Special Collections Research Center
“South Street revitalization. A revival is evident as construction workers build new homes and apartments on the 2000 block of South Street. This image was reprinted by the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin on October 8, 1979.” Photo by Jack Tinney. Source: Temple University Libraries, Special Collections Research Center
“Masquerade promenade. Celebrants jam South Street between Third and Fourth Street during the Masquerade Promenade.” Photo by Salvatore C. DiMarco, 1976. Source: Temple University Libraries, Special Collections Research Center
In our planning phase, Joel received this citation from Mayor Kenney, recognizing the 50th anniversary the South Street Renaissance, which was made possible by the communal effort to defeat construction of the crosstown expressway at South Street.
We used this as an opportunity to put together a video combining the citation and our test shots from pre-production location scouting. This video was shared to celebrate the anniversary, but also as a call-to-action to invite people to participate in the documentary as interview subjects or to lend related artifacts.
Video footage from our location scouting and camera tests.
This video is an informal documentation of Joel Spivak’s 2021 South Street Renaissance exhibit at the Neon Museum of Philadelphia. This is essentially a pre-interview of Joel, where we get a sense of his involvement in the crosstown expressway protests and the South Street Renaissance.
We digitized many of the artifacts seen here so we can use them as cutaways in the documentary.
Below is a slideshow of archival material Joel compiled to tell the history of South Street. These assets will also be used in documentary.
