Tasty Baking Company Building
Why it's listed
Built in phases beginning in 1922 at Hunting Park Avenue in Philadelphia's Allegheny West neighborhood, this irregular complex of five- to seven-story concrete and brick sections was the sole bakery for the Tasty Baking Company, maker of individually wrapped snack cakes. The company moved here from its Sedgely Avenue bakery after rapid growth, choosing the site for its rail and highway access and nearby labor. Production ran floor by floor, with batter, baking, icing and packaging arranged so products descended through the building. Major additions came in 1936 and 1954, and by 1963 about 90 percent of production was automated. The complex is regarded as important for its innovations in baking, packaging and distribution during the mid-twentieth century. The company left in 2010, and the building is now vacant.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant under Criterion A for industry because the Tasty Baking Company was an innovator in baking, packaging and distribution through the 1950s. The plant produced individually wrapped snack cakes and was organized around a production sequence that moved products from upper floors down to shipping. Automation during the 1950s, including wrapping machines and conveyors, is cited as a key reason for its importance.
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 11000648, listed September 8, 2011. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2801 W. Hunting Park Ave., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | September 8, 2011 |
| Reference number | 11000648 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1922-1960 |
| Architect / builder | Turner Construction Company (engineering) |
| Architectural style | Commercial Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Remained in use by the Tasty Baking Company through 2010; the document states it is currently vacant. |
| Acreage | 3.5 |
| Within district | Fairmount Park |
| Coordinates | 40.00940, -75.17543 (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.
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 11000648.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q139766198
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.