Pennell, Joseph, School
Why it's listed
Built in 1926-1927 on Nedro Street in Philadelphia, the Joseph Pennell School is a three-story brick building with stone trim, designed in the Late Gothic Revival style. Its nine bays project at the ends, and the central bays have a two-story stone bay across the second and third floors. Windows are arranged in a 1-3-1 pattern, and the flat roof is edged by a low parapet with stone coping. Carved panels sit below windows on the end pavilions. The building is identical in plan and design to the Andrew Jackson, Eleanor Cope Emlen and Belmont schools, and it is counted among the finest examples of the architect's 1920s school designs. The school is significant for its architecture under Criterion C. A one-story brick addition from 1954 on the east side does not undermine the original design, and a portable classroom from 1967 stands to the west.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the school is an excellent example of the Late Gothic Revival style as used in the 1920s school designs of the architect's office. It is identical in plan and design to the Andrew Jackson, Eleanor Cope Emlen and Belmont schools. The form states that the building retains its design integrity despite the 1954 addition and meets the criteria for National Register listing under Architecture.
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 88002309, listed November 18, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1800--1856 Nedro St., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | November 18, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002309 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1926-1927 |
| Architect / builder | Irwin T. Catharine (architect) |
| Architectural style | Late Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 1.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.04320, -75.15084 (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 88002309.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6286176
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.