by KYW's Mike Dunn

The old Chestnut Street movie palace, the Boyd Theater, received a partial reprieve on Friday.  Its exterior received the status of landmark.

The Historical Commission unanimously voted to add the Boyd to Philadelphia's Register of Historic Places. 

That will preserve the structure itself, but not necessarily the interior. Shawn Evans of the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects says the approval is not even half the battle:

"This is probably a third of the battle.  It's much easier to preserve the exterior of a building because it doesn't have to function.  Preserving the interior, making it economically viable, is a much more difficult task."

The owners of the Boyd, Live Nation, are trying to sell the building.  Boyd supporters are looking for City Council approval, this fall, of a measure that would allow the Historical Commission protect the interiors of buildings.

The Boyd, at 19th and Chestnut, was built in 1927. Also known for years as the Sam Eric, it closed its doors in 2002.
(Photo from Irvin R. Glazer Collection, The Athenaeum of Philadelphia)