Uptown Theater and Office Building
Also known as: Uptown Theater
Why it's listed
Erected in 1928 on North Broad Street in North Philadelphia, the five-story Uptown Theater and Office Building was designed by the Philadelphia firm Magaziner, Eberhard and Harris. Its steel and concrete frame is clad in brown-toned brick, terra cotta reliefwork and limestone, with vertical bands and setbacks that give the facade its lively Art Deco character. Built and operated by Samuel Shapiro and later run jointly with the Stanley Company, the theater opened with an organ overture, a dedication address by the president of Temple University, and an all-talking feature. Its interior once held rooms furnished with pieces from John Wanamaker's store and glass panels by Eastman Studios of New York. Much of that decoration is gone, but one mural by local artist Paul Domville survives in the foyer. The building is regarded as a clear record of the commercial growth of North Broad Street and of the movie houses that served its working and middle-class neighborhoods.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant as the work of an important Philadelphia architectural office, as evidence of commercial growth along North Broad Street, as a movie house serving a growing North Philadelphia community, and as a fine example of Art Deco design. Its exterior and interior ornament are presented as among the few surviving modernistic theater designs in the city.
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 82003817, listed July 22, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2240-2248 N. Broad St., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | July 22, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82003817 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1927-1929 |
| Architect / builder | Magaziner, Eberhard & Harris |
| Architectural style | Art Deco |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Performing Arts |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Vacant and awaiting rehabilitation; interior significantly altered and badly deteriorated; original marquee, ticket box and doors removed in the 1950s. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Coordinates | 39.98733, -75.15610 (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 82003817.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7899456
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.