Plaza Apartments
Also known as: Vernon House
Why it's listed
Three four-story apartment buildings of Roman brick with white terra cotta belt courses stand at the corner of N. 33rd and Clifford Streets in North Philadelphia's Strawberry Mansion neighborhood. Built in 1909 by developer John Stafford to designs by the firm Sauer & Hahn, the buildings are Colonial Revival in style and are arranged in a U-shape around two narrow courtyards. Each has a three-story wood porch with fluted Corinthian columns on its main facade and a pressed metal cornice. Each floor held several flats with lengthwise living rooms, and the interiors retained heavy wood trim and main stairs. The 1920 census lists twenty-one families living in the complex, mostly Eastern European Jewish families of middle-class means. The complex is significant for architecture as an early example of apartment house design in Philadelphia, and as one of the earliest of a group of transitional apartment buildings in the city. It was vacant from the early 1990s onward.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the complex is a significant example of early 20th-century apartment house design in Philadelphia, designed in the Colonial Revival style by the firm Sauer & Hahn. It is described as an uncommon housing type in a neighborhood of rowhouses and as one of the earliest of a group of transitional apartment houses in the city. Its porches, interior trim and main stairs are cited as character-defining features.
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 05000063, listed February 15, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1719-1725 N 33rd Sts., 3226-3228 Clifford St., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | February 15, 2005 |
| Reference number | 05000063 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1909 |
| Architect / builder | Sauer & Hahn (architects); John Stafford (builder/developer) |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Vacant since the early 1990s and subject to repeated vandalism; the nomination notes it was later renamed Vernon House and targeted for rehabilitation. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Within district | Fairmount Park |
| Coordinates | 39.98315, -75.17636 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 05000063.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15267017
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.