Estey Hall
Also known as: Allman Building
Why it's listed
Eight-story office and showroom building at the northwest corner of Seventeenth and Walnut Streets in Philadelphia, designed in 1910 by the firm Baker and Dallet for the Estey Organ Company, which used it as a showroom and offices for its home and church organs. Clad in limestone and terra cotta with a reinforced concrete frame, it has a limestone base, a tripartite-windowed shaft, and a terra cotta cornice capped by a buff brick parapet. Its design blends the Commercial style, which emphasizes fenestration over ornament, with Sullivanesque detailing concentrated at the cornice, spandrels and doorway. It is regarded as one of the city's most notable Chicago School buildings and the only example of that style on this stretch of Walnut Street, where most later towers date from the 1920s and follow Art Deco and Moderne designs. Its interior was remodeled in 1928 after the organ company left, though the exterior remains largely intact.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is one of Philadelphia's most interesting examples of the Chicago School, combining Commercial and Sullivanesque styles. It is described as one of the earliest office buildings on the Walnut Street corridor west of Broad Street and the only example of Commercial/Sullivanesque architecture along that corridor. Its architectural design and its association with the Estey Organ Company are presented as the basis for its significance.
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 83004244, listed October 28, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1701 Walnut St., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | October 28, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83004244 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architect / builder | Baker and Dallet (architects) |
| Architectural style | Chicago School; Commercial and Sullivanesque |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Exterior remains largely intact; interior altered in 1928 after Estey Organ vacated the building. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Within district | East Center City Commercial Historic District |
| Coordinates | 39.95002, -75.15766 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 83004244.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5401108
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.