Hyman Myers
Citation
Keystones: Oral Histories of Philadelphia's Built Environment (). Hyman Myers. https://digital.philaathenaeum.org/s/keystones/item/1
Keystones: Oral Histories of Philadelphia's Built Environment. "Hyman Myers." Web. . <https://digital.philaathenaeum.org/s/keystones/item/1>.
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Item Metadata
Title
Hyman Myers
Date
2015
Description
Hyman “Hy” Myers (1941-2022) was a Philadelphia-based architect, preservationist, and educator whose four-decade career made him one of the region’s leading advocates for historic architecture. A principal at VITETTA Architects & Engineers and a longtime lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania, he specialized in the restoration and adaptive reuse of significant buildings, contributing to more than 350 projects nationwide, including major Philadelphia landmarks such as City Hall, the Academy of Music, and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. A passionate expert on Victorian architecture--especially the work of Frank Furness--Myers was known for his commitment to preserving historic fabric while returning buildings to active use, and he played a key role in advancing preservation practice through teaching, public advocacy, and professional leadership.
Related Resource
Interviewee
Myers, Hyman
Interviewer
Laverty, Bruce
Abstract
On June 26, 2015 and August 7, 2015 Bruce Laverty interviewed Hyman Myers at The Athenaeum of Philadelphia. Myers, who retired from practice in 2009, was a preservation architect at VITETTA. Laverty was the Gladys Brooks Curator of Architecture at The Athenaeum of Philadelphia.
Kevin Block transcribed this interview in 2025. The transcription process was funded by a Historical and Archival Records Care (HARC) Grant from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC). Nan Gutterman of VITETTA reviewed the transcript for accuracy in 2025.
In the interview, Myers recounts his career journey, including his education at the University of Pennsylvania, his entry into the architecture profession, and the emergence of his successful historic preservation practice in the 1970s. In the first sitting, Myers discusses his work on the restoration of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, the Ryerrs Museum, and the Academic of Music, as well as his role in the redevelopment of the Reading Terminal Market as part of the Convention Center project. In the second sitting, he discusses his work on Philadelphia City Hall, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, and various historic estates and buildings in the Greater Philadelphia region. Myers also discusses his personal passion for collecting architectural books and drawings.
Kevin Block transcribed this interview in 2025. The transcription process was funded by a Historical and Archival Records Care (HARC) Grant from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC). Nan Gutterman of VITETTA reviewed the transcript for accuracy in 2025.
In the interview, Myers recounts his career journey, including his education at the University of Pennsylvania, his entry into the architecture profession, and the emergence of his successful historic preservation practice in the 1970s. In the first sitting, Myers discusses his work on the restoration of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, the Ryerrs Museum, and the Academic of Music, as well as his role in the redevelopment of the Reading Terminal Market as part of the Convention Center project. In the second sitting, he discusses his work on Philadelphia City Hall, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, and various historic estates and buildings in the Greater Philadelphia region. Myers also discusses his personal passion for collecting architectural books and drawings.