Marine Corps Depot of Supplies, Schuykill Warehouse
Why it's listed
Built in 1941 on Schuylkill Avenue beside the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, this six-story warehouse was erected for the Marine Corps Depot of Supplies at a cost announced as $1,300,000. A northern addition of 1943, also designed by Eugene A. Stopper, was built to serve the Motor Transport Division, and the two sections read as one composition. The building's monolithic form has painted concrete first-story walls, orange brick above, long bands of steel windows, and a flat roof. Its interior keeps exposed concrete floors, brick walls, and mushroom columns across most of the warehouse floors. During World War II it was the primary warehouse of the Marine Corps Supply Activity. Its importance lies in that wartime role and in its intact Moderne industrial design. In 1964 the federal government transferred it to the Philadelphia school district, which used it for vocational training until about 1980.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building was the primary warehouse of the Marine Corps Supply Activity during World War II, handling distribution of supplies within the Marine Corps. It also argues the building is a largely unaltered example of the Moderne style and the work of Philadelphia architect Eugene A. Stopper.
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 04001228, listed November 12, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 700-734 Schuykill Ave., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | November 12, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04001228 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1941-1945 |
| Architect / builder | Stopper, Eugene A. |
| Architectural style | MODERN MOVEMENT / Moderne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Military, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The document states the building was used by the Philadelphia school district for administrative offices and storage after the school closed around 1980; it does not state current occupancy. |
| Acreage | 5 |
| Coordinates | 39.94512, -75.18691 (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 04001228.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6764090
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.