Bell Telephone Exchange Building
Also known as: Preston Telephone Exchange
Why it's listed
Built about 1900 by Bell Telephone of Philadelphia, this three-and-a-half-story brick building at 8-12 North Preston Street in West Philadelphia was designed in the Georgian Revival town-house pattern, with Flemish-bond brickwork, granite keystones and sills, and a deep tin cornice. It operated as the Preston Telephone Exchange until 1928, with switchboards housed in its open upper floors. Telephone cables embedded in the basement wall remain visible. The building is important for its connection to the early telephone industry and to the rivalry between Bell and the independent Keystone Telephone Company, whose exchange stood directly across North Preston Street. After 1928 the open floors were adapted for light industrial use, and the building retains its original design and materials.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant for its role in the development of telephone communication in Philadelphia and for its competition with the Keystone Telephone Company across the street, under the broad patterns of history criterion. It is also argued to be significant architecturally for its Georgian Revival design, which was adapted to telephone use and blended with surrounding residences.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 02000227, listed March 20, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 8-12 N. Preston St., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | March 20, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02000227 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900-1928 |
| Architectural style | Georgian Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Communications, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a telephone exchange until 1928, then converted to light industrial use; the document also notes a missing third-story cornice and windows blocked in the 1980s. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.95788, -75.20369 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 02000227.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4883275
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.