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Sunday, June 5, 2011

Philadelphia's First Skyscraper?

When I was downtown the other day I was fascinated enough by an old building on Walnut Street to take this picture...


According to some websites I looked at, the Witherspoon Buidling is Philadelphia's first skyscraper. Not sure how official that is. It was completed in 1897. As you can see in the photo, it housed the "Presbyterian Board of Publication and Sabbath School Work."

I was fascinated by the fact that this building, with its intricate front, is sitting empty, at least at street level (note the sign in the window). It's close to City Hall, just down from Broad Street, and right across from IHOP. :) Seems like a great location. I wonder how much money it would take for a business to make a go of it there, especially in these hideous economic times.

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