Conclusions

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Rockland Mansion is home to the Psychoanalytic Center of Philadelphia, one of several mutually-beneficial lease arrangements of Fairmount Park's mansions.

The city of Philadelphia, through the Fairmount Park Commission and partnerships with various non-profit organizations (and some for-profit ones, such as restaurants), has employed various strategies to conserve and utilize the historic buildings within Fairmount Park. From elaborate restoration to entrepreneurial endeavors to hospitality services, many of these endeavors have lengthened the lifespan of late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century houses so that future generations can visit them and learn about the region's history. The current leasing program, administered by the Fairmount Park Conservancy, seems to provide a symbiotic relationship with non-profits looking for distinctive office space and alternative revenue streams. The Psychoanalytic Center of Philadelphia (pictured), for instance, has taken great pride in restoring and maintaining Rockland Mansion, which it leases. The Cancer Support Community of Greater Philadelphia leases Ridgeland mansion for its offices and rents it out for events on evenings and weekends. There are more properties available for lease!

While use of historic houses certainly lengthens their lives, it is worth considering the example of The Cliffs. The isolation of this mansion would make touristic endeavors unlikely and it may have required significant investment to adapt it for office use. Yet the ruin has proved an attraction in its own right. Perhaps it is worth considering conservation strategies such as ruin stabilization as a third opportunity, along with leases and museumization.