{"nrhp_refnum":"91002008","name":"Most Precious Blood Roman Catholic Church, Rectory and Parochial School","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"2800--2818 Diamond St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Philadelphia","county":"Philadelphia","state":"PA","lat":39.987113398000076,"lon":-75.17999696699997,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1992-01-22","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A church complex at the apex of a truncated triangular site where Sedgley Street meets the urban grid at 28th and Diamond Streets in North Philadelphia, consisting of a parochial school, a rectory and a church built in Spanish Colonial Revival and Early Christian-inspired styles. The school (1908, enlarged later) and rectory (1914) were designed by Ballinger and Perrot, and the church (1926) by George I. Lovatt.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the three buildings form one of the chief architectural and social landmarks of the turn-of-the-century neighborhood, unified by tan brick, color tile and limestone trim. It cites the work of two prominent Philadelphia firms, the school's early fireproof reinforced concrete construction, and Lovatt's detailed church design, which it describes as one of the best examples of his work.","narrative":"Three buildings on a wedge-shaped corner lot at 28th and Diamond Streets in North Philadelphia make up the Most Precious Blood parish complex. The parochial school was begun in 1908 as a one-story and basement structure and was completed as a three-story reinforced concrete building in the following years, when the church gave up its converted garage at 28th and Susquehanna. The rectory followed in 1914. Both were designed by Ballinger and Perrot, a firm known for industrial architecture, and the school was described at the time as the only fireproof school in the diocese. The church, completed in 1926, was designed by George I. Lovatt in an Early Christian style modeled on Roman churches, with a blue and yellow tile accent and a mosaic pelican above the entrance. The tan brick and limestone trim tie the three buildings together. The complex is regarded as one of the principal architectural landmarks of the neighborhood and as one of the better examples of Lovatt's work.","period_of_significance":"1908-1927","architect_builder":"Ballinger & Perrot Architects (site plan, school and rectory); George I. Lovatt (church); W. McShane (builder)","architectural_style":"Spanish Colonial Revival","criteria":["C"],"status_note":"The document states that the complex retains a high degree of integrity; the school's first floor was altered in the 1960s.","vacant_flag":null,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-haiku-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.1-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 17:11:37.970559-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_PA/91002008.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/91002008/c9b83d33a0-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/91002008/c9b83d33a0-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Smallbones","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Most_Precious.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Smallbones</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Most_Precious.JPG"},"district":{"nrhp_refnum":"72001151","name":"Fairmount Park","url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/districts/pennsylvania/fairmount-park-72001151/"},"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71997006","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Most_Precious_Blood_Roman_Catholic_Church,_Rectory_and_Parochial_School","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q15256502"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/pennsylvania/philadelphia/most-precious-blood-roman-catholic-church-rectory-and-parochial-school-91002008/"}