Eight years ago, an outcry over the demolition of historically significant buildings in Philadelphia led then-Mayor Jim Kenney to boost support for the city’s underfunded Historical Commission and jumpstart the designation of new historic districts.

Those efforts have yielded significant results, according to a new report released Wednesday by the nonprofit Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia.

Since 2016, the percentage of all properties under historic designation has doubled from 2.2% to 4.4%, putting Philly slightly above the average rate of designation among large cities, the report said.

About 4.8% of the city’s total area is either part of a district or is a property individually placed on the city’s Register of Historic Places, which means owners must follow guidelines

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