Don: Well said; thanks. And, for the most part, I agree with you; but something tells me that, if I lived in Society Hill, I'd be very protective, too. This was some time ago, but I recall reading how matrons came rushing out of their townhomes with brooms, ready to whack the street department guys who had come to put asphalt over Society Hill's precious cobblestones. The women won! Now, THAT'S Philadelphia. No tourist leaves Society Hill unimpressed.
Regarding the Parkway, from what I read, the city agrees with you, too. From The Center City District's website:
Center City District / Central Philadelphia Development ...
Transformation of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway into an animated, pedestrian- friendly cultural campus has been an ongoing priority for the Center City ...
www.centercityphila.org
www.centercityphila.org/about/Parkway.php
CENTER CITY: PLANNING FOR GROWTH
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN PARKWAY. The proposals for enhancing the Benjamin Franklin Parkway ... The Benjamin Franklin Parkway is a 1.1 mile-long, diagonal ...
www.centercityphila.org
http://www.centercityphila.org/docs/...lan07-BFP2.pdf
Center City District / Central Philadelphia Development ...
Sep 29, 2008 ... “This marks another significant advancement in transforming the Parkway into an animated cultural campus and visitor destination,” said Paul ...
www.centercityphila.org
http://www.centercityphila.org/press...ease092908.php
Center City District / Central Philadelphia Development ...
As part of its ongoing work to transform the Benjamin Franklin Parkway into a pedestrian-friendly, animated cultural campus for Philadelphia, CCD has bathed ...
www.centercityphila.org
www.centercityphila.org/about/Lighting.php
And there's more here:
http://www.centercityphila.org/ Use "Parkway" as your search term. Exciting stuff.