• The attached plan illustrates the suggested location of the Benjamin Franklin Tower, the Avenue of American History, and a hotel/conference center to support what could be a major national tourist attraction conveniently located at a major transportation hub.

• The Tower is positioned on axis with the Benjamin Franklin Bridge and Vine Street Expressway and adjacent to Drexel Park. Given the development of new materials and engineering science, the Tower would not be as wide at the base as Eiffel’s tower. It would also not be a gateway symbol but rather would be a celebratory vertical marker. Like Eiffel’s tower, tourists could ascend to view Fairmount Park, the City itself, and surrounding areas. It could also have scientific uses to serve adjacent universities. While Eiffel’s tower is a graceful engineering wonder, the Franklin Tower, given its proximity to the Philadelphia Museum of Art and other art venues on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, could also be seen as a piece of sculpture. An international competition would be conducted to select a design that has the greatest overall benefit to the City, the most symbolic and artistic potential, and is expressive of the best in modern engineering. Like Eiffel’s tower, it is anticipated the Franklin project would be a profit-making venture. It is anticipated the Tower would open to the public in the summer of 2026, two-hundred and fifty years after Franklin helped make Philadelphia a city of firsts.

• The Avenue of American History project envisions the creation of a retrospective Hall of History every twenty-five years.   In each Hall, a collaboration of varying interests would install permanent exhibits intended to capture the major events and zeitgeist of the preceding quarter century. The first ‘authentic’ hall would open to the public in 2026 representing the period 2001 to 2026. Four retrospective Halls of History would also open in 2026 to give the Avenue of American History a critical mass better ensuring its continuation in the future. This too would be a profit-oriented venture.

• Each Hall of History would also be required to have a space devoted to exhibiting what people then living would imagine life would be like 100 years in the future. Another space required would be one left empty for future generations to comment on the history presented at the time the building first opened.
• Several decades ago, Levinson began to promote his museum idea working with various consultants from around the country. The project attracted local and national interest. Under his direction, a spin-off of the concept was proposed to the British Millennium Commission for the celebration in 2000. The proposal, called Avenue of British History, received Phase One approval but was beat out by the supporters of the Millennium Dome.
• Joel Levinson has detailed plans for the Avenue of American History along with pro formas and an implementation strategy.

• Now semi-retired, Levinson is submitting this proposal with no desire to obtain an architectural commission. If aspects of the proposal are deemed to have merit, he would be pleased to work with members of the existing 30^th Street Station project team already in place.
• Philadelphians should once again think and act like Franklin — with vision, passion, and invention.

Joel Levinson

Joel Levinson Associates