St. James Hotel
Why it's listed
Twelve stories of steel frame and fireproofed construction rise from the southeast corner of 13th and Walnut Streets in Philadelphia, on a lot measuring 108 by 80 feet. Horace Trumbauer designed the hotel, which was built in two campaigns: 1901 at 1230-1232 Walnut Street and 1904 at 1226-1230 Walnut Street. The walls are light beige brick above a two-story rusticated base with an arcaded ground floor. Ornate balcony cornices appear at the third and seventh floors, with further cornices at the tenth and twelfth. A Second Empire mansard roof with pedimented dormers crowns the building. The hotel is regarded as an excellent example of classically inspired eclectic architecture of the turn of the century. It also marked an early stage in Trumbauer's career as an architect of wealthy clients, and it has remained a prominent part of the city's downtown streetscape through decades of hotel use.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the hotel as a fine example of classically inspired eclectic architecture of the turn of the century. It is described as an early stepping stone in Trumbauer's career as an architect of wealthy clients. The building is also described as an important fixture of Philadelphia's urban fabric despite decades of use as a hotel.
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 76001671, listed November 13, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1226--1232 Walnut St., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | November 13, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001671 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architect / builder | Horace Trumbauer (architect) |
| Architectural style | Second Empire and Second Renaissance Revival elements |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently both a hotel and private residence, according to the document. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 39.94885, -75.16199 (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 76001671.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7588503
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.