Pennsylvania Railroad Office Building
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Why it's listed
Completed in 1927 at the corner of North 32nd Street, Market Street and Lancaster Avenue in West Philadelphia, this fourteen-story office tower was designed by Graham, Anderson, Probst and White for the Pennsylvania Railroad. Its base is faced in limestone and terra cotta above polished granite, and the upper floors rise in buff brick with patterned spandrels and Art Deco-inspired circular ornament near the top. The railroad built it to consolidate clerical staff, about 5,500 people, who had been scattered across leased quarters after Broad Street Station ran short of space. The building is considered important for its link to the railroad's Philadelphia Improvements Project and to the company's push for efficiency during a period of declining revenues and growing competition from road and air transport. Its open floor plans with exposed concrete columns and its original window frames remain largely intact, which the nomination cites as evidence of integrity.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant for its role in the Pennsylvania Railroad's operations and development in Philadelphia, and as an example of the company's last major period of building activity in the city. It is also described as a major work of the architectural firm Graham, Anderson, Probst and White in the Commercial Classicism style favored by the railroad.
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 03000071, listed February 27, 2003. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 3175 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | February 27, 2003 |
| Reference number | 03000071 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1927-1952 |
| Architect / builder | Graham, Anderson, Probst & White |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The document states the building remains in excellent condition and has received few alterations since construction. |
| Acreage | 1.3 |
| Coordinates | 39.95593, -75.18741 (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 03000071.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7164045
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.