Princeton Club
Why it's listed
Two three-and-a-half story townhouses on Locust Street in Philadelphia were built in 1891 for the residential market of a fashionable district developed by the Real Estate Investment Corporation. The western house, 1221 Locust, was designed by Frank Furness, and its massive red sandstone segmental arches, rusticated basement, and broad red brick upper floors show his heavy, expressive handling of form. Its neighbor at 1223 Locust, designed by Lindley Johnson, takes a lighter, Northern European Gothic and Renaissance approach with orange glazed pompeian brick and a gabled front. The Princeton Club acquired 1223 Locust in 1915, had Magaziner & Potter remodel it into a clubhouse, and added 1221 in 1919, when William W. Potter combined the two properties internally. The pairing is regarded as a rare juxtaposition of two distinct architectural voices on one block.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that 1221 Locust is a well preserved and representative work by Frank Furness, Philadelphia's pre-eminent late nineteenth century architect, and that its contrast with the neighboring 1223 Locust makes the streetscape a valuable urban resource. It also cites the building's association with the Princeton Club, a long-standing social institution, and its role as an example of the residential development of the area in the 1890s.
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 80003617, listed December 4, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1221--1223 Locust St., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | December 4, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003617 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900-1919 |
| Architect / builder | Lindley Johnson (architect, 1223 Locust); Frank Furness (architect, 1221 Locust); Magaziner & Potter (alterations, 1915); William W. Potter (interior changes, 1919) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Housed the engineering firm of Joseph E. Gaudet and Associates at the time of the nomination, having recently been the Princeton Club. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 39.94786, -75.16151 (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.
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 80003617.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7244950
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.