US Court House and Post Office Building
Also known as: Robert N.C. Nix,Sr.,Federal Building; See Also:East Center Ci
Why it's listed
Built in Philadelphia on a through-block site between Market and Chestnut Streets, this six-story federal building was completed for postal and court use, with the post office opening in 1939 and the structure fully occupied by 1941. Its Moderne facade is faced with limestone above a granite base, arranged in a tripartite composition with carved flutes and bas-relief sculptures of justice symbols. Designed by Harry Sternfeld, a Paris Prize winner and University of Pennsylvania professor, the building was funded under the Public Works Administration, and its design is regarded as one of a small number of high quality Moderne buildings in the city. Sternfeld used central air conditioning to place seven courtrooms and a law library at the center of the second and third floors, retaining separate public and private corridors. The courtrooms have red cedar paneling and original judges' benches, and the sculpture is by Donald De Lue and Edmond Amateis, whose work reflects the federal art programs of the 1930s.
Significance in brief: The building is argued to be a representative example of a federally funded Depression-era Public Works Administration project and one of a small number of high quality Moderne buildings in Philadelphia. Its design by local architect Harry Sternfeld uses air conditioning to isolate courtrooms at the center of the building, and its sculpture reflects federal art programs of the 1930s.
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 90001540, listed October 19, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of Ninth and Markets Sts., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | October 19, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001540 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1937-1941 |
| Architect / builder | Harry Sternfeld (architect); Ballinger Company (architect) |
| Architectural style | Moderne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Art, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The post office workroom and courtrooms remain in use, with the regional office of the National Archives and federal offices occupying parts of the first floor. |
| Acreage | 2.1 |
| Within district | West Philadelphia Streetcar Suburb Historic District |
| Coordinates | 39.95099, -75.22556 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 90001540.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7347916
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.