Meredith, William M., School
Why it's listed
Built in 1930 on the corner of Fifth and Fitzwater Streets in Philadelphia, the William A. Meredith School is an L-shaped building ten bays wide, constructed of yellow, brown and white brick over a limestone base. Its upper-floor windows are six-over-six double-hung sash set between molded brick mullions, and the battlemented parapet is trimmed in limestone. The Fifth Street elevation has two Gothic arched entrances, buttress piers, and large brick diaper panels that give the facade a polychromatic appearance. The school was designed by Irwin T. Catharine, who began working for the Board of Education as an assistant designer after graduating from Drexel Institute in 1903 and rose to Superintendent of Buildings by 1930. Working in the Art Deco mode, Catharine used spandrels, piers and mosaic tiles to create strong verticality. The building is regarded as an exceptionally intact example of his work and a distinctive case of Art Deco styling among Philadelphia public schools.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is an exceptionally intact example of the design work of Philadelphia school architect Irwin T. Catharine. Its vertical emphasis and Gothicized window treatment are described as unusual among Catharine's Art Deco school designs, making it a distinctive example of Art Deco styling among Philadelphia public schools.
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 86003307, listed December 4, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Fifth and Fitzwater Sts., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | December 4, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86003307 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1930-1939 |
| Architect / builder | Irwin T. Catharine (school architect, Philadelphia Board of Education) |
| Architectural style | Art Deco |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Within district | Southwark District |
| Coordinates | 39.93940, -75.15061 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 86003307.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8014911
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.