Philadelphians mourn Art Alliance building after a damaging fire
The morning after a fire engulfed the historically designated property, folks passing by reflected on memories at the Art Alliance building.
On a Saturday morning walk through Rittenhouse Square, Louise Dunn stopped in her tracks when she saw the charred, shuttered Art Alliance building.
Gazing at the historical building at 251 S. 18th St., she teared up thinking about a dream she had for her family.
“I always had hoped to have my daughter’s wedding there,” said Dunn. After she informed her of what had happened, she learned they shared the dream: “She said she would have loved that.“
Fire alarms sounded at 3:19 a.m. Friday as smoke rose from the rooftop of the building. More than 120 firefighters were dispatched to fight the “heavy fire throughout the three-story structure,” said a spokesperson for the Fire Department.
The fire was declared under control at 5:36 a.m. One firefighter was injured. Officials have not yet identified the cause of the fire, and the extent of the damage was unknown.
The Art Alliance, owned by the Curtis Institute of Music, was one of nine properties owned by University of the Arts that went to auction last year as part of the school’s dissolution of assets in bankruptcy court.
Saturday morning, the building sat shuttered with holes on the charred rooftop, plywood covering the broken windows, and streaks of soot staining the building’s exterior.
The Italian Renaissance-style structure has a storied history. The Art Alliance moved into the building in 1926, and in the 1930s hosted pianist Vladimir Horowitz and Walt Disney, in what may have been the first museum exhibition of animated art. It was the venue for artist Andrew Wyeth’s first exhibition.
The shuttered building was a shocking sight for neighbor Ruth Laibson, who heard the sirens Friday night. Standing across the street from the Art Alliance building, she recalled dinners in the garden and past exhibitions.
“I’m concerned about a lot of things, and this is just a building that the Curtis [Institute] will figure out,” Laibson said. “I have certain emotions with this, but I’m trying to put it into perspective with the world being in such a state.” The fate of the building, she said, ”is a little piece of sadness in it all."
For Dunn, the building was a way to connect with local artists. She said she was lucky to meet Adam Wallacavage, who commissioned several pieces, including an ornate chandelier, for her home.
“I fell in love with his work when it was the Art Alliance,” she said.