The blocks between the Delaware waterfront and Independence Mall are home to one of the richest collections of architecture in all of Philadelphia, with buildings that track the nation's evolution from colonial settlement to industrial powerhouse. Now an upscale neighborhood of loft-style apartments, Old City hardly lacks for activity; its streets are thick with fine restaurants, vintage furniture stores, and clothing boutiques that lure locals and tourists alike. The neighborhood has become a magnet for creative businesses and tech start-ups. And yet, in the 15 years since the city declared the area a historic district, Old City has lost no less than five distinctive, 19th-century commercial buildings to fire and other unfortunate events.