Wesley Building
Also known as: Robert Morris Hotel; Board of Home Missions of the United Met
Why it's listed
Built in 1914 as a six-story office headquarters for Methodist organizations, the Wesley Building at Seventeenth and Arch Streets in Philadelphia was designed by the firm of Ballinger and Perrot in the Gothic style. Its glazed terra cotta facade, produced locally, covers a steel frame and includes pointed-arch windows, pinnacles and a projecting tracery cornice. In 1921 the Ballinger Company added eight stories above the original building for the Robert Morris Hotel, a dry hotel that housed visiting Methodists and travelers. The addition repeats the original details so closely that the join is hard to see. Horace Castor designed a separate four-story Gothic-detailed office building next door in 1922. The lobby has a vaulted ceiling, marble finishes and a carved and gilded stair, and the second-floor ballroom has a beamed ceiling. The building is regarded as one of the city's most important examples of Gothic design applied to a high-rise.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is an unusually complete example of Gothic architecture applied to a skyscraper, with its terra cotta facade and interior detailing largely intact. It also reflects Philadelphia's role as a center of Methodist activity and the work of the Ballinger firm, which designed both the original building and the addition to match.
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 84003581, listed May 10, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1701-1709 Arch St., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | May 10, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84003581 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1914-1922 |
| Architect / builder | Ballinger & Perrot/Ballinger Company (architects); Horace Castor (architect of the 1922 addition); Cramp & Company (contractor) |
| Architectural style | Gothic |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Recent facade washing and interior refurbishing are noted; the Wawa Food Market storefront is mentioned as the only exterior change to the 1922 addition. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 39.95497, -75.16838 (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 84003581.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7983857
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.