What’s Inside Hon the P OUSE · are at the exchange ofpaper work and scheduling stage. Settling the claim involved the services of a forensic electrical engineer, Hop kin - son

It appears that our insur-ance company is close to

a settlement on our claimfor the switchgear, powersurge and failure of one ofthe 13.2 kilowatts lines. Weare at the exchange of paperwork and scheduling stage.

Settling the claim involvedthe services of a forensicelectrical engineer, Hop kin -son House’s managementand the insurance com-pany’s consultants involvedin the project, contractingelectrical engineering con-sultants, appraisers, and adjusters. What is left arethe last bits and pieces.is work resulted in a settlement of $718,000.

While negotiations withthe insurance companywere in progress, PECOwas urging us to proceedwith our former plan to replace the entire system.So, while the renovationof the lobby project wasmoving along, preparationsto replace the switchgear

were proceeding, including75 pages of drawings to be reviewed.

e north lobby renovationis making headways thanksto the high reach platformthat allows work on thenorth and south lobbies’15-foot ceilings. In orderto be able to install the scaffolding at the entrance/exit area of the north lobby,the residents had to enterand leave via the KellerWilliams entrance for aday. Entrance/exit to andfrom the building duringthe work in progress is considered safe. Specialscaffolding will be highenough to allow the auto-matic opening of the slidingdoors. Planks on the topof the scaffolding will allowwork overhead while wewalk safely below.

e present lighting ofthe north lobby will be removed and several newsystems installed: one isto illuminate the bronzewall on the south side ofthe space. A pendant lightwill be installed to illumi-nate the west side of theroom. e doorman’s deskwill be replaced. e lobbywill be painted, its marblepolished, the terrazzo floorcleaned and polished.

Message from CouncilPaul Coyne

Paul Coyne’s Messagefrom Council is always

informative. You will findthat the insurance companyhas settled the HopkinsonHouse claim for theswitchgear, power surgeand failure of one of thelines. With regards to thelobby renovation, he hopesthat we shall all celebrateits end with the March arrival and installationof the special paneling.And more.

Owing to the birth ofour manager Davis Smith’sfirst child on February10th, the Message fromManagement is missingfrom this issue.

Louis Del Soldo’s friends,members of the newslettercommittee and of Washing -ton Square Citizens’ League

commemorate the life ofthis special individual.Lynn Miller brings us up-to-date on new developmentsconcerning the Acme market,Jewelers Row, and new spot-lights across Chestnut Streetfrom Independence Hall.David Roberts, while mentioning Dorothy Parkerand Katharine Hepburn fortheir short and simple wit,particularly admires Shake -speare and Blake for “com-bining a few common wordsto make phrases that arestriking and unexpected.”e recipe in this issue willbe the last from Chef Luigi’sCorner. If you are interestedin sharing your recipes withresidents of HopkinsonHouse through the newslet-ter, contact Nelly Childress,[email protected]

The Newsletter of Hopkinson House • Spring 2017

What’s InsideNelly Childress on the

HOUSE

Magnolia trees in the magnolia garden on Locust Walk.

Azaleas in Washington Square, with the old British consulateand neighboring buildings in the background.

continued on Page 2

Occasional Photos by David Roberts

Work listed in a punch listfor the south lobby will becompleted. In addition, thefeatured pendant lights willbe installed. Preservationwork and reinstallationof the marble shelf byJohn Carr, MaterialsConservation Co. LLCwas completed; the mirrorthat hangs above the shelfwill be slightly larger thanthe original. e final decision for the choiceof the couches for the twolobbies revolves aroundthe seat cushions.

In the mailroom, the slidingglass door will be movedabout an inch. An electronicsignature pad will be addedto the service desk. e cal-cite illumination at the frontof the service desk will becompleted.

We hope to celebrate therenovation of the lobbyproject with the anticipatedMarch arrival and installa-tion of the lobby’s specialpaneling. Keep your fingerscrossed!

e delivery of two steam

water boilers via the garageramps is anticipated. It willinvolve a truck delivery thatwill tie up the ramps to andfrom the lower floor with acrane to lift off the boilers,and move them, one at atime. is operation re-quires a fork lift to guidethe boiler, turn right andmove 50 feet in order to re-place one boiler. Reverse theprocess and get the secondboiler down and in place.is process will begin wellinto the night and continueuntil near dawn. n

2 · SPRING 2017 · ON THE HOUSE

Editorial CommitteeNelly Childress, ChairpersonConcha AlborgMindy BartschererJanet BurnhamTerry KowalskiLynn MillerDavid Roberts

Council LiaisonPaul Coyne

Graphic DesignParallel-Design.com

AdvertisingTerry Kowalski [email protected]

PhotographyDavid Roberts

Issue ContributorsNelly ChildressPaul CoyneVictoria KirkhamLynn MillerDavid Roberts

Hopkinson House [email protected]

WebsiteFind past issues of on the Houseat www.thehopkinsonhouse.com

Message from Council continued from Page 1

The service desk seen via the north lobbyscaffolding.

North lobby restored marble shelf. North lobby restored marble shelf.

Service desk flowers.

Pictures by Paul Coyne

ON THE HOUSE · SPRING 2017 · 3

e members of the Newsletter Committee

congratulate Liz and David Smith

On the birth of their first childHenry Charleston Smith

On the 10th of February, 2017

Welcome, Henry

Take a moment to say hello toJames Stills, our recently hired Resident Service Desk man.

Welcome, James

Picture by David Roberts

HVAC Project Meeting

Wednesday, March 15, 7 p.m.in the Solarium

is Quarterly TownHall Meeting is scheduledto discuss the HVAC(Heating, Ventilation, andAir Conditioning) project.e project is in its earlyplanning stage. Nothinghas been approved or willbe approved any time soonby Council.

March Madness Comcast Event

Friday, March 17 in the Solarium

is event will be an opportunity for ownersto meet with a Comcastrepresentative to discussall of the services it offers.It will be a MarchMadness-centered eventwith food and TVs towatch the college basketballtournament. Watch formore details in the forth-coming save-the-date flyer.

Hopkinson House AnnualMeeting and Election

Thursday, April 20, 7p.m.in the Solarium

If you would like to runfor a Council seat, please fillout a Candidate Data Sheetwhich will be mailed to youin March, and place yourname on the ballot. Councilterms are for two years.Members must be availableto attend one meeting permonth. All nominees mustbe in good standing withthe Hopkin son HouseOwners’ Association.

Mark Your Calendar



The HopkinsonHouse Newsletter

Committee mourns theloss of one of its members.Lou DelSoldo lost his fightagainst cancer in January.He was an active memberof the committee, managingthe advertisements that finance the publication ofon the House. He providedgreat recipes for our “ChefLuigi’s Corner.” He was amember of the board ofWSCL. Even thoughLou was undergoingchemotherapy he volun-teered to work on the2016 HHOA EmployeeHoliday Fund Committee.

A teacher who loved hisprofession, a devoted fatherand grandfather, Lou was agiving person, giving of histime – he would say: “I willhelp you, yes, let me see, Ican do it after two o’clock.”

And he always did it. Heloved to cook, and enjoyedtravelling. His daughter saidat the celebration of his life:“he always found occasionsto joke” and he did. He willbe greatly missed.

–Nelly M. Childress

Lou Del Soldo was an upbeat presence inHopkinson House fromthe time he moved hereabout a dozen years agowith his partner, the lateRay Bentman. Lou’s commitment to our community was immediate.He joined the WashingtonSquare Citizens’ League, became its president, leaderof its book club, an activeparticipant in the discussiongroup and a valuable contributor to on the House,both as advertising managerand with “Chef Luigi”

column. We’ll miss himvery much.

–Lynn Miller

Lou, whom I met throughour movie group, became atreasured friend. We had acommon love of Italy, goodfood, roaming, and home.We went to movies at theAmerica- Italy Society; wedined out and in, alternatingas hosts. Last fall, he cookedme a five-course Italian mealsurely more than a day inpreparation. I relished ourhours together that evening.In retrospect, I believe heoffered the feast as a memo-rable farewell. One of hislast emails to me quotedPsalm 118:24: “is is theday which the Lord hathmade; we will rejoice andbe glad in it.”

–Victoria Kirkham n

Remembering Louis DelSoldo

Louis DelSoldo, 1945-2017



Fifth Street, Jewelers Row, and Bright LightsLynn Miller

We learned in Januarythat there would be

no new lease for our neigh-borhood Acme Market atFifth below Spruce Street.Once Acme’s current leaseexpires in about two years,the property’s new owner,Alterra Property Group,plans to develop the sitewith a five-story, 53-foot-high apartment building.

A provisional permitwas issued in mid-January allowing Alterra to demolishthe supermarket and rebuild on the site. Sixty-five apartments are plannedfor floors two through five,along with 43 undergroundparking spaces. e newbuilding’s ground floor isscheduled to house a “freshfood market retail” busi-ness. But unless and untilthat comes to pass (and

some doubt that it wouldbe a full-service grocery),Hopkinson House resi-dents and their neighborswill have to leave the neighborhood to shopfor groceries. e Society Hill CivicAssociation opposes thisplan as it stands, which stillmust pass review by thePhiladelphia HistoricalCommission since the siteis within the Society Hillhistoric district. Toll Brothers’ plan to demolish a major chunkof Jewelers Row is movingswiftly ahead (see on theHouse, winter 2017). edeveloper’s updated planis for a 29-story condo onSansom Street near 7th.According to an architect’srendering, the tower willrise to more than double

the height of the CurtisCenter across from it on7th Street. While it will bestepped back from Sansomso that the roofline therealigns with its low-riseneighbors, its southernwall facing HopkinsonHouse will be almost allglass, reflecting lots of sunlight back at us.

e building will contain115 apartments and, on theSansom Street side, 2,600square feet of retail space.With no garage planned,off-site valet parking is expected. e PreservationAlliance has appealed theToll Brothers’ permits, bothon grounds of historic des-ignations in the project’sfootprint and because the“by right” permit was issuedfor a building roughly halfthe height of that now pro-

posed. As of this writing,the fight may not be over.

Speaking of light, sincelate last year, Hop kin sonHouse residents who livein the upper floors of ourbuilding’s northwest endhave been bedazzled bynew spotlights acrossChestnut Street fromIndependence Hall. ey’remeant to light up the northfaçade of our nation’s mosthistoric building, but muchof the light spills over thehall’s roof to shine directlyin our faces. All night. Ourcouncil and managementshare our discomfort andwill press the National Parkfolks to equip their lightpoles with shades. Let themknow if you’re among thosewho’d rather not have yourliving quarters lighted upfrom dusk to dawn. n

Resident Pets

Enny Cramer with her cat,”Snoepoes” who is, accordingto Enny, bilingual and answers in Dutch and in English.

Simon Roberts, David Roberts son, photographed this Hawk atIndependence Mall in February.

Picture by David Roberts

Spotted in the Mall


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Fantastic view and condition! This one bedroom with a terrace offers sweeping views overlooking Washington Square as well as

the Center City Skyline, Delaware River and Benjamin Franklin Bridge. Renovated with an open kitchen with breakfast bar, the

kitchen features granite counter tops, a stainless steel Jenn Air range, refrigerator and microwave, and Bosch dishwasher, plus

a built in bar area. The spacious living room/dining room overlooking Washington Square and features a custom built in as

well. A half wall with frosted glass windows on the upper portion separates the living room from the bedroom, with the option

of an open, airy feel or a private bedroom. The bedroom features a double closet and a sliding door leading to a very useable

terrace. The bathroom features a stall shower with white subway tile and glass mosaic tiles, a basket weave tile floor, and

upgraded vanity and lighting. A large storage closet has been equipped with an Asko washer/dryer as well. This home has all

upgraded doors and hardware, molding, and completely outfitted closets

It is not only the north and south lobbies that are be -ing r enovated, the Hop kin son House news letter is

al so undergoing some minor changes with this issue.

e newsletter will remain a quarterly publication butwill be published in March, June, September, andDecember rather than January, April, July, andOctober. You will see that a new column has beenadded: “Residents’ Corner.” n

Newsletter Changes

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Residents’ Corner

Readers who may wishto make comments,

observations on the currentissue of on the House maysend them to: “e Editor”[email protected] you do not have a com-puter, address them in anenvelope to: “e Editor”on the House, and give theenvelope to the employeeat the Residents’ Desk.Your comments will be

published in the nextissue of on the House.e writer should identify himself/herself and givehis/her apartment number.Anonymous comments willnot be accepted. e editorreserves the right to rejectopinions/comments, etc.,if they are deemed inappropriate or can involvethe association in legaltroubles. n

Hopkinson House Owners’ Association employees Greatly appreciate and thank

Owners and residents for their Generous contributions to e 2016 Holiday Fund.

Thank You


A Blast From the Past


Documents from the History of Hopkinson House Display


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As Shakespeare wrote in Hamlet: “Brevity is the soulof wit,” a statement of six short words that meets

his standard. e English novelist, Somerset Maugham,said in defense of his American friend, Dorothy Parker,“Only very mediocre writers are always at their best, andMrs. Parker is not a mediocre writer.” When Mrs. Parkerwas informed that President Coolidge had died she re-sponded, “How could they tell?” I may disagree withMrs. Parker on politics but I love her for her wit.

Katharine Hepburn’s brother once brought SenatorChris Dodd to her house on the Connecticut shore. Herbrother said, “I would like you to meet Senator Dodd.”Ms. Hepburn responded, “Why?” A stinging insult in asingle word of one syllable, a feat that no one can surpass.

ShakespeareShakespeare’s was a master of economical writing, oftenproducing powerful effects with a few short words.For example:

“… it was Greek to me.”

“To paint the lily, to gild refinéd gold.”

“Cry ‘Havoc!’ and let slip the dogs of war.”

“e fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings.”

“We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;For he today that sheds his blood with meShall be my brother.”

(No, not the words of a gang leader but of KingHenry V, encouraging his men before the battle ofAgincourt, as told by Shakespeare.) I hope you sawthe aptly named TV series, Band of Brothers.

Some of Shakespeare’s finest verse can be found inhis sonnets. ere are 154 of them, and they vary inquality, but the best are sublime. Number 18, per-haps the most beautiful, begins with the lines:

“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?ou art more lovely and more temperate:Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,And summer’s lease hath all too short a date:”

Number 94 begins:

“ey that have power to hurt and will do none,at do not do the thing they most do show,Who, moving others, are themselves as stone,Unmovéd, cold and to temptation slow; “

and ends with the famous couplet:

“For sweetest things turn sourest by their deeds;Lilies that fester smell far worse than weeds.”

A psychology book would probably take severalpages to explain what those two lines imply abouthuman nature and behavior.

Line 2 of Number 107 contains the serene andmemorable phrase:

“…the wide world dreaming on things to come,”

Perhaps the most potent of the sonnets is number 129, which begins:

“e expense of spirit in a waste of shameIs lust in action; and till action, lustIs perjured, murderous, bloody, full of blame”

and ends with the couplet:

“All this the world well knows; yet none knows wellTo shun the heaven that leads men to this hell.”

Good advice for those tempted by drugs.

You will notice that Shakespeareuses mostly ordinary wordsof one or two syllables, anduses them sparingly to makephrases that are elegant ormajestic and that sometimeshave great power. If you wish to be agood writer, let him be your teacher.

BlakeAt a theatrical show in England in theearly 1950s the future poet laureate Cecil DayLewis was on the program. As expected he re-cited one of his poems. e audience clapped po-litely. Next came the Welsh poet, Dylan omas,who was expected to do the same thing. Butomas had a different idea. He came on stage ina loud plaid coat, probably half drunk, and, in hisdeep resonant voice, recited William Blake’s “eTyger” (sic) to wild applause:

“Tyger Tyger, burning bright,In the forests of the night;” etc.

I think you will agree that those ten short wordsevoke a compelling image. e rest of the poemis fine but a letdown after that beginning. Whatis always rare is the combining of a few commonwords to make phrases that are striking and un-expected—original. is requires the imaginationof great writers. It cannot be taught, but their example can help many of us to become betterwriters. We must read their books to see howthey choose their words and form their sentences,and to develop an ear for the tones and rhythmsof good prose and good verse.

KISS: Keep It Short and SimpleBy David Roberts


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PA. H.I.C. Reg. #PA061648

You are invited to join

Washington Square Citizens LeagueWashington Square Citizens League is a nonprofit organization that has more than 140 members.

The vast majority of the members live in Hopkinson House.

Activities include: Monday Afternoon Discussion Group

Monthly Evening ProgramsBook Club

Reel DiscussionTheater Discussion Group

Socials, Including Dinners at La Buca

Membership Fee: $10 per year.If you are not a member and would like to join,

contact Enny Cramer at 215-925-9809or [email protected]



Advertise in on the House

2017 Newsletter Advertising Ratesad size price per issue

Full Page $250

Half Page (Back) $375

Half Page (Interior) $175

Quarter Page $100

One-Eighth Page $ 75

New 2017 Publishing ScheduleFirst week of the month in March, June, September, and December

On the House normally comes out four times per year. This year,there will be five issues because the date of publication will bemoved forward by one month. The remaining 2017 issues willbe published in March, June, September and December.

To reserve space, send an email to Terry Kowalski [email protected]. Indicate the ad size and the numberof issues. Note that reserving space in multiple issues will giveyou a discount. For more information, or if you have questions,please contact Terry Kowalski directly at 484-557-0945.

215-514-9884 – Cell

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This recipe requires utilizing a Cuisinart.

It is for a “French LemonCake (Gateau au Citron)”that uses one lemon. Nelly

Childress substituted oneorange. is is a rich moistcake with a pleasing freshorange flavor. It keeps wellin the refrigerator wrapped

in plastic or foil. e recipeis in “CUISINART® FoodProcessor Model DLC-10EInstructions and Recipes.”n

French Orange Cake Chef Luigi’sCorner

French Orange Cake(Gateau a l’orange)Makes one 8-inch round cake.

Ingredientsone orange

½ cup granulated sugar

1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

2 large eggs

1 cup less 2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ cup confectioners sugar

1 ½ fluid ounce of orange juice

Preheat the oven to 325°Fand adjust the rack to thecenter position. Butterand flour a round 8-inchcake pan.

Remove the orange partof the peel from the orangewith a vegetable peeler,leaving the white pith onthe fruit. Cut the peel into2-inch pieces. Insert themetal blade in the workbowl of the Cuisinart andput the orange peel andgranulated sugar in thework bowl. Process untilthe peel is finely chopped,

about 60 seconds. Add thebutter and process untilsmooth, about 30 seconds.Add the eggs and processuntil smooth, about an-other 30 seconds.

Scrape down the sides ofthe work bowl as needed.Stir the flour and bakingpowder together, add it tothe work bowl and turn themachine on and off quicklyjust until the flour disap-pears. Do not overprocessat this stage or the cakewill be tough insteadof soft and tender.

Transfer the batter to theprepared pan and bakeabout 25 minutes, or untila toothpick inserted in thecenter comes out clean.Let cool slightly in the pan.

Mix confectioners sugar andorange juice until blended.Remove the cake from thepan and place on a wirerack over wax paper. Spoonsome of the glaze over thetop of the cake and repeatas the cake cools until theentire glaze is used. Whencool, wrap in plastic or foiland refrigerate.

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Renovated south-facing deluxeone bedroom, one bathroomwith a light-filled living and diningarea with hardwood floors, galleykitchen, generously sized bed-room and a private balconyboasting panoramic river, skyline,and see-forever southern views.1,003 sf | Offered for $377,900

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Allan Domb Real Estate has been sellinghomes at Hopkinson House for over36 years, and in that time, has soldmore homes in Hopkinson House

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If I can help you with the sale, rentalor purchase of your Hopkinson House

condominium, please call me directly at 215-545-1500 or email

me at [email protected] you,

Allan Domb Real EstatePHILADELPHIA’S LARGEST SELLING CONDOMINIUM REALTOR® WE COOPERATE WITH ALL REALTORS®1845 Walnut Street, Suite 2200, Philadelphia, PA 19103 Phone: 215.545.1500 allandomb.com [email protected]

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Some of our most recent sales at Hopkinson House107 | 113 | 114 | 511 | 516 | 517 | 612 | 910

915 | 1006 | 1604 | 1910 | 2702 | 2803 | 2907 | 2914Thinking about buying or selling a Hopkinson House

condominium? Call us. We get the job done.

Selling Hopkinson House for 36 years!

Allan Domb Real EstatePHILADELPHIA’S LARGEST SELLING CONDOMINIUM REALTOR® WE COOPERATE WITH ALL REALTORS®1845 Walnut Street, Suite 2200, Philadelphia, PA 19103 Phone: 215.545.1500 allandomb.com [email protected]

@AllanDombRealestate @AllanDomb @AllanDomb